Undefeated Spendthrift homebred wins first stakes. (Benoit Photo)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—After going gate-to-wire in a debut win last month at Del Mar going a mile on turf, Brave Deb displayed a new dimension Sunday at Santa Anita when winning the Grade III, $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, also at one mile on turf.
With Mirco Demuro aboard, Brave Deb (10-1) was part of three-horse scramble for the early lead. Among the trio was even-money favorite Will Happen and jockey Juan Hernandez. Will Happen, who was stretching out after a debut win sprinting, ultimately seized the lead with Demuro and Brave Deb tracking in second.
“First time (out) I took her to the front, and she got a little excited…she doesn’t really like to be in front,” Demuro explained from the winner’s circle.
Will Happen, trained by Richard Baltas, proceeded to set sharp opening fractions of 22.26 and 45.76 seconds. After six furlongs in 1:11.17, Will Happen weakened and Brave Deb took over the lead entering the stretch. She then successfully held off late challenge from eastern invader Scratch It (5-2) to score by one length over that rival. It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to Pentle Bay (16-1).
Trained by Richard Mandella for owner-breeder Spendthrift Farm, Brave Deb won in a time of 1:35.40. She is by Authentic out of the Street Sense mare Nora’s Joy.
“We hoped our filly would settle, which she did,” Mandella said. “Mirco did a fabulous job with her.”
For Dimuro, a 46-year-old Italian, this was his first graded stakes win in North America and first stakes win of any kind at Santa Anita.
In her debut Sept. 5 at Del Mar, Brave Deb set a pressured pace and held on to win by a head. With her latest victory, she is candidate to move on to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Oct. 31.
Brave Deb paid $23.80, $13.00 and $7.00. Scratch, ridden by Kazushi Kimura for trainer Brad Cox, returned $5.00 and $3.60. Pentle Bay, with Serafin Carmona aboard for trainer Simon Callaghan, paid $6.00.
Live racing resumes Friday with a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m. PT. It starts a four-day race week that includes a special holiday Monday card on Oct. 13 with free parking and admission, $2 beers, $2 hot dogs and $1 sodas. For more information, visit santaanita.com.
