Firenze Flavor emerging victorious in the three-way photo finish. (Benoit Photo)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—Only a pair of noses separated the top three finishers in a thrilling edition of the Grade III, $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes Sunday at Santa Anita. Emerging victorious in the three-way photo finish was Firenze Flavor, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, who was making her stakes debut for trainer Patrick Gallagher in the 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies.
Firenze Flavor (7-1) bested runner-up Miso Phansy (5-1) by a nose with 6-5 favorite Jungle Peace, who had led from the start until the final jump, another nose back in third.
Pacesetter Jungle Peace entered a perfect 3-for-3 in the U.S. for trainer Phil D’Amato but had never raced around two turns. She went to the lead as expected and set fractions of 23.84, 48.10 and 1:11.72 for six furlongs as both Firenze Flavor and Miso Phansy were content to race at the back of the pack. Jungle Peace continued to show the way into the stretch and maintained a 1 ½-length advantage at the eighth pole, which was reached in 1:37.08. But she could not hold off the pair of closers. Firenze Flavor, racing in tandem with Miso Phansy while directly on her outside, used one final surge near the wire to spring the upset.
“I think there’s more to come for her, but first I need to go to LensCrafters,” Gallagher said. “I thought she finished third.”
Firenze Flavor, a homebred for Oda Racing and US Equine, won in a time of 1:49.91.
For Van Dyke, who made a full-time return to Santa Anita last month, this was his first time riding Firenze Flavor.
“My main thing was to get along with her,” Van Dyke said. “She likes to throw her head around I saw from her previous races and watching her in the morning. She likes to throw it down if you fight with her. So, I was just trying to get along with her the best I could and go from there.
“I was a little worried” Van Dyke continued about the finish. “She kicked nice for me and was trying to shy away from the horse to my inside (Miso Phansy). As I got closer to her, she dug in the last little part, and it just worked out good for me. I just want to thank Paddy and the connections.”
Firenze Flavor broke her maiden in her second start on Jan. 20 going a mile on turf at Santa Anita, but then ran a clunker when finishing last in a first-level allowance also at a mile on turf, on Feb. 11. But last time out on April 25, she rebounded nicely when rallying to a half-length victory to clear her first-level allowance condition at a mile on turf.
“We’ve always liked the filly,” Gallagher said.
Firenze Flavor paid $17.40, $5.80 and $3.60. Miso Phansy, ridden by Hector Berrios for trainer Leonard Powell, returned $4.80 and $3.20. Jungle Peace, with Umberto Rispoli up for trainer Phil D’Amato, paid $2.40.
Live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with a nine-card starting at 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 11 a.m. Every Friday during the Hollywood Meet, on-track patrons receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 hot dogs.
