Avenge Makes Jump, Wins Rodeo Drive

Entered off her first graded stakes win in her previous effort, Avenge successfully jumped up to the grade I level with a front-running victory in the $302,415 Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. IT) Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park. 

Avenge broke well in the 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares and led at every call, cruising through a half-mile in :47.44 and six furlongs in 1:11.40 under Flavien Prat. The 4-year-old daughter of War Front   was shadowed throughout by favorite Zipessa but when that one challenged in the backstretch and off the far turn, Avenge found more, sailing home to win by three-quarters of a length.

With the win in the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race to the Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT), Ramona Bass's Avenge will enter that race at Santa Anita on a three-race win streak. After a clear victory in a one-mile allowance-optional claiming race July 24 at Del Mar, Avenge successfully stretched out to 1 1/8 miles to score a narrow victory in the John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. IIT) Sept. 4 there.

On Saturday Avenge, trained by Richard Mandella, cleared the hurdle of the 1 1/4-mile distance in completing the test in 1:58.52 on firm turf.

"She's getting better with each race," Prat said. "She really surprised me out there today. Once I let go she really got comfortable and took the lead. Honestly, that was a lot of fun and we'll see how she does for the Breeders' Cup; it's a big one." 

Picking up third was Frenzified, by Yeats, who earned her first grade I placing. Grade III winner Zipessa, by City Zip  , placed in a grade I race for a second straight race after finishing third in the Beverly D. Stakes.

Avenge paid $12.40, $6, and $4.20 across the board while Zipessa returned $4.40 and $3.20. Frenzified paid $6.60 to show.

"It's my parents' anniversary today, so they're in Italy, and I know they stayed up to watch," said Perry Bass. "I wish they were here, but it's good to be here in their stead. We didn't know if she could get the mile-and-a-quarter, and we didn't know if she could get the mile-and-an-eighth in the Mabee. She surprised us there, and she got the lead here.

"She just cruised, and Flav rode great. Mandella and the whole barn were incredible. She has a lot of speed and she can rate, but there wasn't a lot of speed in the race. The Stidham horse (Zipessa) was the only other speed. As long as Avenge relaxed, we thought we'd be OK out there, and she obviously did it." 

Bred in Kentucky by Lerici Syndicate, Avenge is out of winning Woodman mare Lerici, who also has produced stakes winner Lira among her four winners. Consigned by Gainesway at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale, Steve Young, agent, went to $650,000 to land Avenge.