Danuska's My Girl Extends Streak in Desert Stormer
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Danuska's My Girl wins the Desert Stormer Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Bad Boy Racing's Danuska's My Girl picked up her fourth consecutive victory in the $100,000 Desert Stormer Stakes May 18 at Santa Anita Park, notching back-to-back graded stakes scores as she led nearly every step of the six-furlong feature for fillies 3 and up.
The main track was upgraded to good from wet/fast earlier on the card, with only three of five entered in the Desert Stormer competing. Yuvetsi hopped out of the gate but quickly settled as Danuska's My Girl and jockey Geovanni Franco moved up to take the lead. The quarter-mile went in :21.73, with Show It N Moe It up in second at the half-mile point as it was clocked in :45.10.
Danuska's My Girl opened up ahead of Show It N Moe It, who then closed the gap as the wire approached. The effort was not enough, though, as Danuska's My Girl crossed the wire a half-length in front, stopping the clock in 1:10.12.
Show It N Moe It finished 20 lengths in front of Yuvetsi.
Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Danuska's My Girl picked up her first win in a maiden claiming race. She now has the Desert Stormer, April 7 Las Flores Stakes (G3), and two allowance optional claiming events to her name, bringing her record to 5-2-4 in 14 starts.
Hollendorfer is considering the July 6 Great Lady M Stakes (G2), also six furlongs, at Los Alamitos Race Course for the mare's next start.
"Geovanni rides her really good, no question. She's been training very well and she's put on a lot of weight, we have given her plenty of time between races and we think she's doing well that way," the Hall of Famer said. "Some horses just don't ever get a chance to get to be an older horse, but she did and she's doing well. We just hope to keep her going.
"We're probably going to look at that race at Los Alamitos, the Great Lady M, which is a nice race over there, so we would like to run there if we could."
"She's been improving every time I've gotten on her," Franco added. "Jerry said, 'You're on the fastest horse, just get her out of the gate and she'll do the rest.' She's got a big heart and she ran really good."
The Desert Stormer improved her earnings to $258,810, more than enough to cover her $85,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale auction price in 2015, when Cecil O. Seaman, agent, purchased the filly as a yearling from the Denali Stud consignment.
Now 5, Danuska's My Girl is from the first crop by Shackleford . She was bred in Kentucky by Fernandez-Robles Family Trust and Flying H Stables out of the Dayjur mare Amaday, who has produced seven starters from as many foals. Six of them are winners.
Amaday's progeny include two-time restricted stakes winner Vieja Luna and multiple stakes-placed horses Noble Prince and Leonardo. Danuska's My Girl was her last foal.