Going to Vegas Aims to Cash in Santa Ana
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Going to Vegas (inside) withstands a bid from Luck to win the 2021 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Grade 1 winner Going to Vegas seeks a repeat victory in the $125,000 Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) March 26 after taking the 1 1/4-mile turf race last year at Santa Anita Park.
Most recently second going a mile on turf in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2) March 5, Going to Vegas will be reunited with Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard for last year's Santa Ana triumph.
Second, beaten a half-length by front-running Leggs Galore in the Buena Vista, Going to Vegas, who had been idle since 11th in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) Nov. 6, appears primed for a top effort with Rispoli, with whom she won the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) over the course and distance three starts ago Oct. 2.
A 5-year-old mare by Goldencents out of the Johannesburg mare Hard to Resist , Going to Vegas is trained by Richard Baltas and is owned by Abbondanza Racing, Medallion Racing, and MyRacehorse. A gate-to-wire winner of both the Rodeo Drive and last year's Santa Ana, Going to Vegas has two wins and a second from three tries at the Santa Ana distance.
A tremendous claim 15 starts ago in June 2020, Going to Vegas has since rewarded her connections with four wins, three of them in graded stakes. With an overall mark of 7-9-2 in 24 starts, she has earnings of $674,151.
Fourth to Going to Vegas in last year's Santa Ana, Neige Blanche has never been better for Leonard Powell at age 5. A winner of two consecutive grade 3 turf stakes, the Red Carpet at 1 3/8 miles on Nov. 25 at Del Mar and the Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles Jan. 17, long fused Neige Blanche has won four out of her last six races, including last year's Santa Barbara Stakes (G3T) at 1 1/2 miles on turf May 8.
Owned by Madaket Stables, Laura De Seroux, Marsha Naify, and Mathilde Powell, Neige Blanche will be ridden for the eighth consecutive time by Juan Hernandez, who has nine stakes wins at the current meet, second to Flavien Prat's 15.
Reserved far off of Leggs Galore early, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks finished strongly to be third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the Buena Vista. She was three-quarters of a length behind runner-up Going to Vegas.
A 4-year-old California-bred filly by Vronsky out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove , Closing Remarks, a California-bred stakes winner at age 3, is four-times graded stakes-placed on turf and will hope to be flying late under regular rider Joe Bravo. A first-condition allowance winner at 1 1/8 miles on turf here two starts back Jan. 17, Closing Remarks is 3-4-2 in 13 starts with earnings of $371,320.
Fifth last out in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) on dirt at Oaklawn Park Feb. 12, Queen Goddess was a front-running winner at 14-1 odds of the off-the-turf American Oaks (G1) on dirt two starts ago on Dec. 26. A winner of two of her five starts on grass, the 4-year-old Empire Maker filly figures to be in close attendance Saturday with Victor Espinoza up for the first time for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and TOLO Thoroughbreds, Queen Goddess is 3-1-1 in seven starts with earnings of $310,580.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 26, 2022, Race 7Entries: Santa Ana S. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
98
1Disappearing Act (KY)
SCRATCHED
0
UNKNOWN
-
1
2Charges Dropped (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
120
Michael W. McCarthy
20/1
2
3Quiet Secretary (KY)
Tyler Baze
120
Ian Kruljac
20/1
3
4Closing Remarks (CA)
Joe Bravo
120
Carla Gaines
5/2
4
5Keyflower (FR)
Abel Cedillo
122
Leonard Powell
6/1
5
6Queen Goddess (KY)
Victor Espinoza
124
Michael W. McCarthy
6/1
6
7Neige Blanche (FR)
Juan J. Hernandez
124
Leonard Powell
7/2
7
8Going to Vegas (KY)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
124
Richard Baltas
9/5
8
9Carpe Vinum (KY)
Ryan Curatolo
120
Philip D'Amato
12/1
