Parranda Authoritative in Marshua's River

Parranda collared pacesetter Skylander Girl with a sixteenth to run and pulled clear to win the $150,000 Marshua's River Stakes (gr. IIIT) Jan. 10 at Gulfstream Park .

The 6-year-old English Channel   mare won with complete authority, drawing off by three lengths as the 6-5 favorite. The Marshua's River marked her first start since being purchased by China Horse Club for $800,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale and then transferred to trainer Christophe Clement. 

Parranda settled third early under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and tracked longshot pacesetters Skylander Girl, 20-1, and Alette, 19-1, along the rail behind fractions of :24.66 for the opening quarter and :48.81 for a half. Velazquez angled her out entering the stretch and she immediately she rallied smartly to catch and dispatch Skylander Girl.

Parranda separated herself from the field, drawing off to the comfortable win in 1:42.53 for 1 1/16 miles on firm turf. Skylander Girl held on for second by a nose over the late-running Why Katherine.

"[She got] an amazing trip," Clement said of Parranda, who notched a fourth graded stakes win and seventh stakes win overall. "There's a reason Johnny Velazquez has been leading rider so many times. This should be the type of race they show apprentices and young kids. This is a dream as a trainer."

China Horse Club boiught Parranda with the goal of running her at the China Equine Cultural Festival in the Feb.22 in Singapore Cup at Kranji. Clement saw the Marshua's River as an ideal prep for that start.

"It's the best preparation she could have had," he said. "She did not have too tough a race. I just hope that she comes out of it in good shape."

Parranda improved her record to 11-4-4 from 29 career starts and boosted her lifetime bankroll to $893,005. In her previous start she was sixth behind Dayatthespa in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park to cap a tremendous 2014 campaign in which she also won the Suwannee River (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream and the Wilshire (gr. IIIT) and Royal Heroine (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita. That season kicked off with a victory Florida Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf at the oval in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Kinsman Farm bred Parranda in Florida. Her dam is the winning Rahy mare Dynamic Feature, a half sister to Canadian champion Sisterly Love.