Layoff no problem for Kopion in the La Brea (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — A rough morning for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella and Spendthrift Farm gave way to a glorious afternoon on opening day of the Santa Anita Classic Meet on Thursday.
Early Thursday, Mandella had to scratch Spendthrift’s highly regarded Tamara from the Grade I, $300,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies after she spiked a fever. Left to carry the banner for Mandella and Spendthrift in the seven-furlong sprint was Kopion, a longshot who was making her first start in more than eight months.
Kopion’s layoff, or anything else for that matter, would wind up being of no consequence. Sent off at 37-1, the Omaha Beach filly rolled to a dominant 2 ¾-length victory under Kazushi Kimura in the La Brea, earning her second graded stakes win and first at the Grade I level.
“We are high as a kite right now,” said Eric Gustavson, owner and president of Spendthrift Farm. “We had a bunch of friends and family come in for the race. It was such a crazy day because we had Tamara and she scratched. We got the text from Richard this morning, so we were all down. Now this. This is racing. It is great.
“This is such a big deal. A Grade 1 winner on the dirt for Omaha Beach. All glory to God, we are over the moon.”
Ridden by Kazushi Kimura, Kopion broke alertly and proceeded to press pacesetter Sandy Bottom through fractions of 22.17 and 44.32. At the top of the stretch, Sandy Bottom began to drop anchor while Kopion continued to motor. The winner would never be threatened. Kopion extended her lead late and crossed the wire an easy winner in a final time of 1:22.08.
“She has been getting better and better,” Mandella said. “I told Kaz (Kimura) that she is quick and you don’t need to rush her.
Splendora, a 25-1 longshot, rallied to be second second. Sugar Fish (7-1) was another two lengths back in third with Hope Road rounding out the superfecta.
One Magic Philly, the 7-5 favorite who was exiting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, tracked the pacesetter in third through the opening half mile before fading to sixth in an eight-horse field.
“We broke good and I had a nice spot,” Kimura said. “When it was time to get going, I asked her and there was no reaction.”
Kopion paid $77.40, $31.20 and $16.00. Splendora, ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Bob Baffert, returned $25.20 and $13.60. Sugar Fish, with Tyler Baze up for trainer Jeff Mullins, paid $4.60.
With the win, Kopion improved to 5: 3-1-0 with $314,600 in earnings. She won her debut last November at Del Mar followed by a victory in the GII Santa Ynez in her 3-year-old debut in January. Kopion then finished second in the GIII Las Virgenes and fourth in the GII Santa Anita Oaks in April before hitting the sidelines.
GRADE I, $300,000 LA BREA STAKES QUOTES
JOCKEY QUOTES
KAZUSHI KIMURA, KOPION, WINNER: “It was my first time on Kopion. I knew she was a nice horse. This was amazing, I have to just keep on going.”
FLAVIEN PRAT, ONE MAGIC PHILLY, SIXTH: “We broke good and I had a nice spot. When it was time to get going, I asked her and there was no reaction.”
TRAINER QUOTES
RICHARD MANDELLA, KOPION, WINNER: “I thought about putting her in the Las Flores, but there is only one Grade 1. She has been getting better and better. I told Kaz (Kimura) that she is quick and you don’t need to rush her. He did a great job. I was shocked that she was 35-1. I had to scratch my other horse, Tamara, this morning. She had a virus and came down with a 102 temperature.”
OWNER QUOTES
ERIC GUSTAVSON, KOPION, WINNER: “We are high as a kite right now. We had a bunch of friends and family come in for the race. It was such a crazy day because we had Tamara and she scratched, we got the text from Richard this morning, so we were all down. Now this, this is racing! It is great.
“This is such a big deal a Grade 1 winner on the dirt for Omaha Beach, all glory to God we are over the moon.”
NOTES: The winning owners are Spendthrift Farm, LLC.
