Doinitthehardway gets the job done under Juan Hernandez (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— Back from a disastrous foray to New Mexico, Bob Baffert’s Doinitthehardway made it look easy on Friday at Santa Anita, as she cut back to a sprint and took the day’s $63,000 allowance feature by 2 ¼ lengths. Ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, the 3-year-old daughter of Street Sense got seven furlongs in 1:23.82.
Away alertly from her number three post position, Doinitthehardway sat second behind Getthemoney in the run to the far turn and was about 1 ¼ lengths off the leader at the three furlong marker. Turning for home, Doinitthehardway drew alongside and the two brushed slightly as Getthemoney drifted out.
Undeterred, Doinitthehardway took command a furlong out and strode clear as much the best in a performance reminiscent of her nine-length maiden score two starts back going one mile on March 3.
Fifth, beaten 9 ¾ lengths as the 3-5 favorite in the ungraded Sunland Park Oaks at a mile and one sixteenth March 26, Doinitthehardwaywas off as the second choice at 9-5 in a field of six sophomore fillies today and paid $5.80, $3.00 and $2.60.
“The race at Sunland was a complete disaster,” said Baffert. “But she came back to run well today so we’ll run her in the Summertime Oaks (at Santa Anita, Grade II on June 3).”
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Doinitthehardway is out of the Awesome Again mare Virtuoso. With the win, she ran her overall race record of 8-2-2-1 and with the winner’s share of $37,800, she increased her earnings to $144,920.
Ridden by Hector Berrios, Getthemoney, a tad erratic off the turn for home, finished 4 ¼ lengths in front of longshot In Color. Off at 2-1, Getthemoney paid $3.20 and $3.20.
With Umberto Rispoli up, In Color, the longest shot in the field at 18-1, paid $6.60 to show while finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Liberal Lady.
The 8-5 favorite, Blessed Touch broke outward leaving the gate and was never a factor, finishing a well-beaten fifth under Ramon Vazquez.
Fractions on the race were 22.77, 45.19 and 1:10.43.
Juan Hernandez bagged his third win of the day aboard Doinitthehardway and is atop the rider standings with 13 wins through 10 racing days at Santa Anita’s Hollywood Meeting.
First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.
