ARCADIA, Calif. —A front-running gem of consistency, William Sims’ homebred Leggs Galore registered her sixth career stakes win and third added money victory in a row as she took Saturday’s $75,000 Mizdirection Stakes by one length. A 5-year-old California-bred mare by 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern, she got about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course under Ricky Gonzalez in 1:13 flat.
Trained by the meet’s leading conditioner Phil D’Amato, Leggs Galore was shortening up off a gate to wire score going one mile on turf in the Grade II Buena Vista Stakes March 5, but she showed her customary zip back at a sprint today in a dominant performance.
“I think she’s as effective around two turns as the hill,” said D’Amato, who racked up his 13th stakes win and 45th overall win of the meet. “She shows she can do both, that’s a great asset to have. Ricky was able to get a length or two ahead crossing the dirt, that made me feel more comfortable that we would have just enough to hold on and sure enough, it worked.
“She’s gotten better with age. She used to be a more nervous horse, but we turned her out and when we brought her back this year, she’s just much more relaxed in the paddock. She knows her job and saves her energy for the race now.”
Off as the 1-2 favorite in a field of six older fillies and mares, Leggs Galore paid $3.00, $2.40 and $2.10.
In command throughout, Leggs Galore was challenged to her inside by eventual fifth place finisher Hear My Prayer approaching the dirt crossing about a quarter mile out, but opened up at that point and she was not threatened thereafter.
“She’s a special filly,” said Gonzalez, who has been aboard for all of her stakes wins and has ridden her to victory in eight out of her last 11 starts. “She likes to go to the lead, so I just let her do what she likes to do. Today, she was nice and relaxed. When that other filly came to her, she got a little competitive and went a little faster than I wanted her to but she kicked for home really good like she always does.”
Out of Sims’ Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore is 14-9-1-0 overall and with the winner’s share of $61,380 ($13,500 of which was from the Cal-bred incentive fund) she increased her earnings to $621,588.
Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Bye Bye Bertie rallied to overcome traffic trouble approaching the dirt crossing to finish second, three quarters of length in front of Royal Address. Off at 8-1, Bye Bye Bertie paid $6.00 and $3.20.
Irish-bred Royal Address was an attentive third at the half mile marker, angled three-deep entering the lane and finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of Bella D. Ridden by Joe Bravo, Royal Address was off at 9-1 and paid $3.00 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.12, 43.77 and 1:06.74.
First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.
$75,000, MIZDIRECTION STAKES QUOTES
JOCKEY QUOTES
RICARDO GONZALEZ, LEGGS GALORE, WINNER: “She’s a special filly. She likes to go to the lead, so I just let her do what she likes to do. Today, she was nice and relaxed. When that other filly (Hear My Prayer) came to her, she got a little competitive and went a little faster than I wanted her to but she kicked for home really good like she always does.”
TRAINER QUOTES
PHIL D’AMATO, LEGGS GALORE, WINNER: “I think she’s as effective around two turns as the hill. She shows she can do both, that’s a great asset to have.
“Ricky was able to get a length or two ahead crossing the dirt, that made me feel more comfortable that we would have just enough to hold on and sure enough it worked.
“She’s gotten better with age. She used to be a more nervous horse, but we turned her out and when we brought her back this year, she’s just much more relaxed in the paddock, she just knows her job and saves her energy for the race now.”
NOTES: The winning owner/breeder is William Sims.
Santa Anita Park Press Release
Photo: Leggs Galore, (Benoit)
