Enola Gray, Illuminant Look Strong in Monrovia Field
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Illuminant takes the March 10 Wishing Well by 1 1/4 lengths over Prize Exhibit
The grade 2 Monrovia Stakes, at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park, features a field of nine fillies and mares topped by grade 1-placed Enola Gray and grade 1 winner Illuminant.
Nicholas Alexander's homebred Enola Gray began 2017 with two victories from her first two starts and seeks her first graded win in the Monrovia. She comes into the race off a four-length score in the Irish O'Brien Stakes which marked her third win on the downhill in as many starts.
Overall the 4-year-old Grazen filly has six wins from nine starts and has never finished worse than third. In her sole graded stakes effort to date, Enola Gray finished third in the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1).
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Head of Plains Partners, and SF Racing's Illuminant won the March 10 Wishing Well Stakes in her season debut on the hillside course at Santa Anita. That effort marked her first start since winning the Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita May 30 of last year.
The owning partnership was formed after SF Bloodstock purchased the mare for $900,000 from the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November mixed sale, where she was consigned by Bluewater Sales.
After finishing third in last year's edition of the 1 1/16-mile Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, the 5-year-old daughter of Quality Road finished seventh in this year's Jenny Wiley behind Dickinson and Lady Eli, who were first and second, respectively.
Spy Ring has two starts in the United States, most recently finishing fourth in the Senorita Stakes (G3T) at a mile. The daughter of Bushranger (IRE) was runner up in an April 2 optional-claiming allowance race on the hillside course.
Juno, undefeated in her native country, has not placed better than third since her first start in the U.S. in June of last year.
Paquita Coqueta is coming into the Monrovia off a score in the April 22 Mizdirection Stakes at the same distance and course. The Scat Daddy mare finished fifth in the Wishing Well behind Illuminant just prior to that race.
Monrovia S. (G2)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, May 27, 2017, Race 7
- About 6 1/2f
- Downhill turf
- $200,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 4:04 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Swift Lady (FL) | Martin Garcia | 122 | Bob Baffert | 15/1 |
| 2 | 2Spy Ring (IRE) | Mike E. Smith | 117 | James M. Cassidy | 20/1 |
| 3 | 3Watch This Cat (KY) |
Rafael Bejarano | 122 | Richard Baltas | 10/1 |
| 4 | 4Illuminant (PA) |
Flavien Prat | 124 | Michael W. McCarthy | 9/5 |
| 5 | 5Coniah (CA) | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 122 | William E. Morey | 8/1 |
| 6 | 6Juno (BRZ) | Kent J. Desormeaux | 122 | Neil D. Drysdale | 6/1 |
| 7 | 7Paquita Coqueta (CHI) | Gary L. Stevens | 122 | Richard E. Mandella | 6/1 |
| 8 | 8Enola Gray (CA) | Tyler Baze | 122 | Philip D'Amato | 5/2 |
| 9 | 9Anita Partner (IRE) |
Brice Blanc | 122 | Jeff Mullins | 12/1 |