Danuska's My Girl Wires Del Mar's Rancho Bernardo
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Danuska's My Girl wins the Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar
Bad Boy Racing's Danuska's My Girl led every step of the $101,404 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) Aug. 11 at Del Mar to pick up her third graded stakes victory of the year.
The 5-year-old Shackleford mare took eight starts to break her maiden, doing so in maiden claiming company in July 2018, but has won five of her last six starts, including the April 7 Las Flores Stakes (G3) and May 19 Desert Stormer Stakes (G3)—both at Santa Anita Park.
Danuska's My Girl is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer, who returned to Del Mar this summer after a San Diego County judicial officer granted him an injunction July 26 to allow him to train horses at the seaside oval.
"It has been a long time coming but we finally got one. I'm doing the best I can and at least some things are working out, like winning this race for Kelly Mitchell. It feels good," Hollendorfer said. "In the race we thought we'd get a little more pressure from the eight horse (Best of Me) but we broke so fluid that it wasn't that bad. He (jockey Geovanni Franco) actually won the race in the second quarter when he got to slow it down a little bit."
Del Mar did not allot stalls to Hollendorfer or allow him to compete at the start of the meet that began July 17. The decision followed The Stronach Group ruling Hollendorfer off their properties, including Santa Anita in Southern California, June 22 after a fourth horse in his barn suffered a catastrophic breakdown during racing or training the Santa Anita meet.
Off as the 6-1 third choice in the Rancho Bernardo, Danuska's My Girl was sent to the lead by Franco and she ticked off fractions of :22.27 and :45.18 through the first half-mile. Best of Me was a half-length back in second, while 3-5 favorite Anonymity tracked in third after bobbling at the start.
Danuska's My Girl opened up another length in the stretch before Anonymity got rolling, but the chestnut mare was able to hold on by half a length and complete 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.13 on the fast main track.
"Congratulations to the owners and to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. She felt great all the way," Franco said. "She broke so sharp and then she slowed it down for me that second quarter. I knew someone was coming late (favorite Anonymity), but it didn't matter. I kept riding as hard as I could. She likes it here at Del Mar. So do I."
Anonymity crossed the finish line second 2 3/4 lengths clear of Lady Ninja, who hopped in the air at the break and rallied from far back. Lady Ninja nosed out Best of Me, with Zusha, Yuvetsi, Kram, Exuberance, and Show It N Moe It completing the order of finish.
Danuska's My Girl was bred in Kentucky by Fernandez-Robles Family Trust & Flying H Stables. She is the last of seven foals out of the unraced Dayjur mare Amaday, who also produced multiple stakes winner Vieja Luna and multiple stakes-placed sons Noble Prince and Leonardo.
Denali Stud consigned Danuska's My Girl to the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearlings Sale, where Cecil O. Seaman, agent, purchased her for $85,000. She has since made $330,810 from a 6-2-4 record in 16 starts.