Sponsoted by the CTBA, the race is part of the lucrative Golden State Series
ARCADIA, Calif. — High-weighted at 126 pounds and dispatched as the heavy 1-2 favorite, Nick Alexander’s homebred Just Grazed Me had to work for her money today at Santa Anita, as she edged clear to win by three quarters of a length in the featured $100,000 California Distaff Handicap. Trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, the 5-year-old mare by Grazen defended her Cal Distaff title by getting 5 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:02.99.
Idle since May 25, Just Grazed Me broke on top from her number four post position, but Gypsy Blu immediately engaged from the outside and Just Grazed Me was third, about a length off the lead with her stablemate Althea Gibson to her immediate outside three furlongs from home.
At the top of the stretch, Just Grazed Me had moved into a joint second, about a half length off of Gypsy Blu, and with Rispoli shifting to the three path, edged clear in an all-out victory.
“This kind of race is always tricky because with five runners, you can expect a lot of speed or can’t expect speed at all,” said Rispoli, who was aboard Just Grazed Me for the first time today. “I knew Gypsy Blu on the outside broke slow, so I was thinking they were going to send her forward and I didn’t want to be in that trap. I saw around the corner that I could track her all the way.
“She’s just very professional. She (gave a lot of weight). She just does enough to win the race.”
A respectable fifth in the Grade II Monrovia Stakes over the course on May 25, Just Grazed Me returned $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10.
“She trains at Los Alamitos and I know Phil would’ve preferred to get a Santa Anita work into her, but the timing of the race just didn’t allow it,” said Alexander, who underwent back surgery two weeks ago. “She hadn’t won in about a year and she had to work for it today. She won the same race last year and she went one second faster, so we’ll give her plenty of time to recover.”
Out of Alexander’s Cuvee mare Fairway Road, Just Grazed Me, whose last victory came in the Grade III Senator Ken Maddy Stakes four starts back on Nov. 2, 2019, notched her fourth stakes win today and improved her overall mark to 14-7-4-1. With the winner’s share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $494,332.
In a huge effort, the Mark Glatt-trained Gypsy Blu prevailed by a nose over Nardini in a three-horse photo and paid $4.00 and $2.80 with Abel Cedillo up at 6-1.
Ridden patiently from the rail by Juan Hernandez, Nardini nipped Althea Gibson by a head on the wire and paid $2.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.67, 45.61 and 57.04.
Sponsored by the CTBA, the California Distaff Handicap is for eligible California-bred or sired fillies and mares and is part of the lucrative Golden State Series.
California Distaff Handicap Replay
Press Release
Photo: Just Grazed Me. Credit: Benoit
