Fahan Mura Makes the Grade in Robert J. Frankel Stakes
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Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Fahan Mura and jockey Edwin Maldonado win the Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Bran Jam Stable and David Clark's Fahan Mura put an exclamation point on a standout 2018 campaign with her first graded victory Dec. 29 in the $150,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
The frontrunning 4-year-old English Channel filly once again put her speed on display in the 1 1/8-mile Frankel, cruised on a loose lead, and held to win by three-quarters of a length under jockey Edwin Maldonado to secure her seventh win from 11 starts this year.
The former claimer trained by Vladimir Cerin set fractions of :23.48, :47.43, and 1:11.15 through six furlongs on the Santa Anita turf and maintained a two- to 2 1/2-length advantage through a mile in 1:34.78.
The distance may have taken a toll in the final furlong—she's done most of her best work at a mile—but the Pennsylvania-bred held off a late rush from Excellent Sunset to complete the nine furlongs in 1:46.85.
"She's a really fun horse to ride," Maldonado said. "She's become so much more professional. She used to pull quite a bit, but now she relaxes so nice."
That margin may have been influenced at the start as Fahan Mura got away quickly (as she does in seemingly every start), while Excellent Sunset broke last under jockey Rafael Bejarano in the field of eight and trailed by 5 1/2 lengths through the first half-mile.
"My filly is improving with every race," Bejarano said of Excellent Sunset, who finished eighth in the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) Dec. 2 at Del Mar and was disqualified from first in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes earlier in the Del Mar fall meet (Fahan Mura finished 12th in the Matriarch). "She was very professional today. We wanted to put her into the race and she relaxed. … We had a good position, but there was no pressure on the winner."
Fahan Mura began her 2018 season with two wins on the Santa Anita turf in the claiming ranks, then scored two impressive optional-claiming allowance wins before she sped and stopped in the New York Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2T) at Belmont Park. She earned her first stakes win over the summer at Del Mar in the Osunitas Stakes and also took the Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita in October. Between those stakes wins, she placed in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T). She finished second to Southern California turf standout Vasilika in the Nov. 4 Goldikova Stakes (G2T).
Cerin credited Maldonado, who has ridden Fahan Mura in her past nine starts, for the filly's development.
"I leave it in Edwin's hands," Cerin said. "He's improved her by letting her be herself. He never interferes with her. He's a big reason why she's doing so well."
Quebec, who was the closest to Fahan Mura through most of the Frankel, held third, a length behind Excellent Sunset and 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Escape Clause. Amboseli, Lucy De, Gliding By, and Sweet Charity completed the order of finish.
Bred by Michael Moran, out of the Giant's Causeway mare Celtic Cross, Fahan Mura now has a 9-2-4 record from 23 starts and $431,815 in earnings ($365,665 in 2018).