Thegirlinthatsong Powers Clear in La Canada

Thegirlinthatsong was the first to the wire in the $200,000 La Canada (gr. II) for older fillies Jan. 17 at Santa Anita Park .

 

Sent off as the 6-1 distant third-choice in the field of seven, Thegirlinthatsong easily took command from 8-5 second-choice Jojo Warrior at the top of stretch to post the 4 1/4-length victory under jockey Rafael Bejarano. Even-money favorite Lexie Lou rallied late to nail Jojo Warrior on the wire for second.

 

"I thought Lexie Lou and Jojo Warrior would go to the lead, so I expected to put my horse right behind Jojo Warrior after the break," Bejarano said. "When we broke my horse was real fresh, so when I saw that Jojo Warrior did go to the lead, I just put us right behind and I had a beautiful trip. By the three-eighths pole I still felt I had a lot of horse and when I let her go in the stretch she took off."

 

Jojo Warrior went immediately to the lead from the start under Martin Garcia, getting the half-mile in :47.13 and turned for home in front, but was no match for the winner, who covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43.84 on a fast track.

 

Lexie Lou was making her dirt debut in the La Canada came late to nail Jojo Warrior on the wire to finish second.

 

"Not bad for her first time on dirt, not bad at all," said jockey Corey Nakatani. "I wanted her to come out of there and put herself into position but when Jojo Warrior kind of crossed over she got a little dirt in her face and she started to jump a little. I lost our position but for her first time on dirt, she showed her heart and she ran a big race; the farther the better with her."

 

In her prior start, Lexie Lou finished second behind California Chrome in the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) Nov. 29 at Del Mar. She had won seven of her 16 starts either on the grass or synthetics before her second in the La Canada.

 

The win was the fifth from 19 starts for Thegirlinthatsong, and the La Canada marked her first graded stakes score.

 

Bred in Texas by the late Clarence Scharbauer Jr., Thegirlinthatsong began her career losing her first two starts at Lone Star Park in 2013, before breaking her maiden at Harrah's Louisiana Downs on July 13, 2013.

 

She won the Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 7, 2013, but didn't find the winner's circle again until taking an allowance race at Lone Star on May 1, 2014.

 

By My Golden Song  , Thegirlinthatsong came right back to take the Texas Stallion Stakes Got Koko Division at Lone Star on May 10.

 

After two failed turf tries in Texas, she was purchased by a group that includes trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and began racing in California in August, notching her first win for her new connections in the La Canada.

 

"She's been training well here and we were looking for a good effort from her," Hollendorfer said. "I think Rafael wanted to stay back a little more than what I wanted him. I asked him to stay as close as he could and be comfortable, so he did that, and that ended up working out well."

 

The winning owners are Dan Gatto, Tim and Tony Russo along with Hollendorfer.

 

Thegirlinthatsong returned $15 to win, $4.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Lexie Lou paid $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show, while Jojo Warrior returned $2.60 to show.

 

Une Cherise finished fourth and was followed by Fleet of Gold, Colonel Joan, and Ramona's Wildcat. Sam's Sister was an early scratch.