Munnings Filly Stays Undefeated in Anoakia

ANOAKIA S., $71,500, SA, 10-22, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.84, ft.
1–ARTISTIC DIVA, 118, f, 2, Munnings&log=#tot">Munnings–Diva N Disguise, by
 Mizzen Mast. ($67,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT; $425,000 2yo '17 OBSAPR).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Hronis Racing LLC; B-Asiel Stable LLC
(IL); T-John W. Sadler; J-Victor Espinoza. $42,900. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $78,900.[bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”]2–Steph Being Steph, 118, f, 2, Majestic Warrior–More Than
Proud, by More Than Ready. ($72,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP;
$240,000 2yo '17 OBSAPR). O-Blinkers On Racing Stable,
Bennett, Cahee, Georgetti, Harris, Lyons et al.; B-D. J. Stable
(KY); T-Brian J Koriner. $14,300.[bullet ad=”woodford-winning”]3–Just a Smidge, 118, f, 2, Into Mischief–Pooh Corner, by Tapit.
($39,000 RNA Wlg '15 KEENOV; $425,000 2yo '17 EASMAY).
O-Debbie Lanni; B-Carolyn R Vogel (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $8,580.[bullet ad=”lanni-hillndale-purchased”]Margins: 2 1/4, 1HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 5.90, 10.20, 1.50.
Also Ran: Secret Spice, Chatty.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Well supported in her career bow going five furlongs on the Del Mar turf Aug. 24, Artistic Diva overcame a tardy start to come home a 1 1/2-length winner. Let go at almost 6-1 while stepping up in class and trying the main track for the first time, the Illinois bred wasted no time getting to the front of the field and doled out opening splits of :21.72 and :44.98. Confidently handled by Victor Espinoza turning for home, the filly proved best late and she maintained a comfortable advantage all the way home. Steph Being Steph was second, while 3-2 favorite rounded out the trifecta.

“Going into this race, I knew I would probably be on the lead but I wanted to go a bit slower,” said Espinoza, who also rode her first time out. “She has natural speed, she's pretty fast. We train her in the mornings to relax but it doesn't really work out…Over time, I think she'll settle and the good thing about her is that we know she can run on turf and the dirt.”

“She had worked in nine and four [fifths of a second, for one eighth of a mile] at a 2-year-old in training sale, so we knew she was fast,” explained Sadler. “She struggles a little in the morning with the dirt, but we knew she could handle it. We ran her on grass first time out at Del Mar because I had so many 2-year-old fillies, I had to separate them.”