Cavalieri overcomes slow start to stay perfect. (Benoit Photo)
Win earned a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—A less-than-ideal start following a six-plus month layoff proved to be no problem for Cavalieri in Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.
After hopping at the start and trailing the field, Cavalieri (3-5) gradually made her way to a stalking position right behind stablemate Richi (6-5) down the backstretch and then wore that rival down to prevail by 1 ¾ lengths under Juan Hernandez. With the win, Cavalieri improved to 5-for-5 for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Speedway Stables while also earning a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Richi, ridden by Antonio Fresu, outfooted a third Baffert-trained stablemate, Howin (18-1), for the early lead and proceeded to set a moderate pace of 23.67 and 48.0 seconds for the opening half mile. Meanwhile, Cavalieri had secured a position just to the outside of Richi after the poor start.
“She was acting up, she was nervous,” Hernandez said of Cavalieri’s poor start. “It had been a while since she had run so she was excited. Even in the post parade she was dancing a little bit.
“But she recovered in three jumps,” he added.
Richi completed six furlongs in 1:11.60 and continued to lead at the eighth pole, but in the final furlong, Cavalieri surged to the front and won comfortably by 1 ¾ lengths. The final time was 1:42.64.
“When she missed the break I thought, ‘Well, oh well,” Baffert said, “But we knew that she is very talented.”
Richi finished 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Howin in third with another 4 ¼ lengths back last year’s Zenyatta winner, Sugar Fish (11-1).
“They went easy the first half, so I think that helped a lot,” Baffert said of Cavalieri’s performance. “I knew she was going to be a little rusty today. I didn’t think she was going to be that rusty in the gate, but she was. This will set her up perfectly for the Breeders’ Cup.”
This was Cavalieri’s first start since winning the GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile on March 8 at Santa Anita. A 4-year-old daughter of Nyquist, Cavalieri won her debut last August at Del Mar, cleared her first allowance condition in October at Santa Anita, then won the GIII La Canada in January prior to the Beholder Mile.
Cavalieri was purchased by Peter Fluor’s Speedway Stables for $900,000 at the 2023 OBS April Sale. This latest win pushed her earnings to $438,000.
“I was scared,” Fluor said of the poor start. “She usually comes out straight. She jumped up into the air, but I thought it was a gallant effort for not running for six months. Bob had her conditioned beautifully. At the backstretch I started feeling better and at the top of the stretch I felt even better.”
Cavalieri paid $3.40, $2.20 and $2.10. Richi, ridden by Antonio Fresu, returned $2.20 and $2.10. Howin, with Kazushi Kimura up, paid $2.80.
