GODOLPHIN’S FAIR MAIDEN MOWS ‘EM DOWN LATE TO TAKE GRADE I, $300,000 LA BREA STAKES BY 2 ¼ LENGTHS
ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 26, 2020)–In a streak of Godolphin Blue, the Eoin Harty-trained Fair Maiden blew by her competition late to take Saturday’s Grade I, $300,000 La Brea Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths at Santa Anita under upstart Ricky Gonzalez. Fair Maiden, in her eighth career start, got seven furlongs in 1:22.69.
Breaking from post position nine in a field of 10 sophomore fillies, Fair Maiden was mid-pack, about three lengths off the lead approaching the top of the lane while following the Bob Baffert-trained Golden Principal. From there, Fair Maiden, who was six-deep off the turn, easily reeled in Golden Principal for an impressive victory, which provided Gonzalez with his first-ever Grade I triumph.
Most recently fourth in an ungraded six furlong stakes at Keeneland Nov. 7, Fair Maiden was off at 20-1 and paid $43.20, $18.60 and $10.00.
Owned and bred by Godolphin, LLC in Kentucky, Fair Maiden is by Street Boss out of the Smart Strike mare Shieldmaiden. A minor stakes winner on turf in her third career start at Woodbine in August, 2019, Fair Maiden collected her first graded stakes win today and improved her overall mark to 8-4-1-1. With the winner’s share of $180,000, she increased her earnings to $321,278.
One of four Baffert trainees in the field, Golden Principal was off at 12-1 and paid $13.60 and $7.40 while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of her stablemate Merneith.
Ridden by John Velazquez, Merneith was the second choice in the betting at 7-2 and paid $4.00 to show while finishing three quarters of length in front of post time favorite Finite, who is trained by Steve Asmussen.
Fractions on the race were 21.88, 44.59 and 1:09.92.
Santa Anita Press Release
Santa Anita Photo
