Forever Darling came charging late to score her first black-type victory in Santa Anita's GII Santa Ynez S. Saturday afternoon. Glued to favored Pretty N Cool's outside hip, the chestnut pressed that rival through an opening quarter in :22.48 and a half in :45.57. The chalk briefly appeared to be home free in early stretch, but Forever Darling clicked into another gear in the final furlong and powered clear of that rival late to score. Golden Gate shipper Code Warrior made a similar late run to be second and Pretty N Cool held on for third.
“We thought she displaced in the Breeders' Cup and we found she had an ulcer on her soft palate when we did surgery on her,” winning trainer and part owner Richard Baltas said. “This race didn't come up as tough as I thought for a Grade II, but I'm so grateful to win, because I own a share of her.”
Baltas continued, “[Rafael Bejarano] had to ride her hard, but she just fought it out. She has a lot of determination and you can't teach that to a horse. I'm just glad that I own a piece of her and I train her. It's just a great day for me.”
Fourth behind the reopposing One Last Shot (Any Given Saturday) in her career bow at Del Mar Aug. 1, Forever Darling earned her diploma next out over this track and trip Sept. 26, impressing Baltas enough for him to send her to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup. She finished eighth behind the sensational Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Oct. 31 and was making her first start since in this spot.
The winner's second dam is GI Ballerina H. winner Roamin Rachel (Mining), who also produced Japanese champion Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) Sunday Silence). Forever Darling's dam Darling My Darling, a two-time stakes winner with a pair of Grade I placings, produced a filly by Malibu Moon in 2015 and was bred back to Sky Mesa.
Saturday, Santa Anita
SANTA YNEZ S.-GII, $200,500, SA, 1-2, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:16.25, ft.
1–#@FOREVER DARLING, 119, f, 3, by Congrats
1st Dam: Darling My Darling (MSW & MGISP,
$352,359), by Deputy Minister
2nd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
3rd Dam: One Smart Lady, by Clever Trick
($8,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP; $65,000 RNA 2yo '15 OBSAPR).
O/T-Richard Baltas, Hebert Bloodstock and J K Racing LLC;
B-Debby Oxley (KY); J-Rafael Bejarano. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-2-0-0, $155,400. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”machmerhall-pinhooked-haymarketfarm”][bullet ad=”legacy-bloodstock-shell”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]
2–Code Warrior, 119, f, 3, Society's Chairman–Lady Natalie, by
Runaway Groom. ($6,000 Ylg '14 KEEJAN; $10,000 Ylg '14
KEESEP; $18,000 2yo '15 TEXAPR). O-J. C. Racing Stable;
B-Pamela Edel (FL); T-Manuel Badilla. $40,000.[bullet ad=”fourstar-salesgrad”]
3–Pretty N Cool, 123, f, 3, Scat Daddy–Stayclassysandiego, by
Rockport Harbor. ($160,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Karl Watson,
Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-Nancy C. Shuford (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.[bullet ad=”hillndale-lanni-purchased”][bullet ad=”elmtree-salesgrad”]
Margins: HF, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.10, 2.80, 2.00.
Also Ran: Treasuring, My Dynamo, One Last Shot, Decked Out. Scratched: Rockantharos.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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