Surrender Now First Stakes Winner for Morning Line

With an eye-catching turn of foot, Rockingham Ranch's Surrender Now sprinted to an eight-length victory in the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes at Santa Anita Park July 2 to become the first stakes winner for her sire Morning Line  . 

The 2-year-old filly broke her maiden on debut for trainer Peter Miller June 9, when she defeated a field of five other juvenile fillies by two lengths to give her sire his first winner. In her second start Sunday, Surrender Now was ridden to victory by Norberto Arroyo Jr.

"(Trainer Bob) Baffert ran a nice filly earlier (Diamondsandpearls, impressive maiden special weight winner of the second race)," said owner Gary Hartunian of Rockingham Ranch. "We'll probably run against her next time, so maybe Pete and Bob can have a boxing match before the races."

In the 5 1/2-furlong Landaluce, Gorgeous Ginny led the way, with Surrender Now just off her flank. They buzzed to fractions of :22.45 and :45.95 through the half-mile. Arroyo barely moved aboard Surrender Now as she drew away easily on her own to finish in a final time of 1:03.84.

"She was much the best in here—much the best," Arroyo said. "I haven't even let her run yet. Not in the mornings and not in the afternoons. We don't know what she can do. We haven't had to use her. She's exciting."

Off as the 7-5 favorite, Surrender Now paid $5, $2.80, and $2.40 across the board. Gorgeous Ginny returned $3 and $2.20, and Spirit of Shanghai was able to get up for third to return $4.40.

The impressive winner is out of the Stormy Altlantic mare Surrender and was bred in Kentucky by Elaine MacPherson.

Surrender Now was a $19,000 buy back at the 2015 Keeneland November sale, where she was consigned by Warrendale Sales. Under the same consignor, the filly sold to agent Bruno DeBerdt for $40,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale before Rockingham Ranch paid $220,000 for her at the Barretts March sale of 2-year-olds in training, where she was consigned by Excel Bloodstock.

"I told Gary (Hartunian) this is the best 2-year-old filly I've been around in 15 years, since I was prepping babies for Golden Eagle Farm," Miller said after the race. "I was relieved when I saw her open up. I was elated and happy to see it. At the quarter pole, I thought we were good. I saw (Gorgeous Ginny) look like she might be getting out and when we came by her, it looked like Norberto hadn't even asked her, so I felt pretty good."

Lane's End Farm's first-year sire and grade 1-winning millionaire, Morning Line is a son of Tiznow  , out of the A.P. Indy mare Indian Snow. He was the winner of the 2010 Pennsylvania Derby (G2) and just missed the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) by a head as a 3-year-old.  At 4, he placed in the Donn Handicap (G1) and the Hal's Hope Stakes (G3) before he took the Carter Handicap (G1). At 5, he won the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (G2).

Morning Line retired with a record of 5-4-2 from 15 starts and $1,251,300 in earnings. He stood 2017 for a fee of $10,000.