Hotshot Anna Puts on a Show in Chicago Handicap
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Photo: Coady Photography
Hotshot Anna wins the Chicago Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse
Hotshot Anna had to work for it for a little while.
The 4-year-old Trappe Shot filly engaged pacesetter Marquee Miss early on in the $100,000 Chicago Handicap (G3) June 23 at Arlington International Racecourse and dueled for the lead through fractions of :22.80 and :45.08 in the seven-furlong test.
But once they hit the three-sixteenths pole, the competition was over. Maquee Miss faded, grade 1 winner Union Strike was never a threat, and Hotshot Anna had more to give. The chestnut filly poured it on under jockey Harry Hernandez and opened up to a 5 3/4-length victory in a track-record time of 1:20.93 on the all-weather surface.
The win was a first in graded company for Hotshot Anna, who is trained by her owner, Hugh Robertson. It was Robertson's first graded stakes victory since he won the 2006 National Jockey Club Handicap (G3) at Hawthorne Race Course with Three Hour Nap. Hotshot Anna was a $20,000 purchase from breeder Paul Tackett's consignment to the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She is a Kentucky-bred out of the Holy Bull mare Avalos.
"She trained very well on the Polytrack," said Robertson. "I thought she would run well, but I didn't think she'd run quite that well."
Hotshot Anna returned to the synthetic track for just the second time in 16 starts. She ran at Arlington in her debut in 2016 but was sixth. She moved on to pick up wins on dirt at Canterbury Park and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and she won Canterbury's Northbound Pride Oaks on the turf last year. She switched back to the main track at Canterbury to win a May 19 allowance/optional claimer before the Chicago Handicap. Saturday's victory pushed her record to 5-5-1, with earnings of $223,640.
It was the first graded stakes victory for Hernandez, who was aboard Hotshot Anna for the first time.
"I'm so proud right now," said Hernandez. "Wow, she's just a great filly. I just want to thank Hugh for giving me the opportunity, especially having confidence in me since I just got here (to Arlington this season). I wanted to be close because I thought it was a better idea and it's what Hugh told me to do, so I've got to go with the instructions."
Hotshot Anna returned $11.60, $6.00 and $3.80. Arlington Matron Stakes (G3) winner Princess La Quinta finished three-quarters of a length in front of Union Strike and paid $4.60 and $3.00, and Union Strike brought $3.80 in her synthetic surface debut. Completing the order of finish were One Liz, Kyllachy Queen, Babybluesbdancing, Natural Wonder, Oh So Terrible, Marquee Miss, Full of Zip, Miss Nancy, Starlight Express, and Mines and Magic.
California-based Union Strike, a 3-1 co-favorite along with Princess La Quinta, was racing for the first time since January, when she was seventh in the La Canada Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.
"She's been on the bench for a while," jockey Corey Nakatani said. "She didn't run bad considering the track was playing to speed all day."