ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 12, 2020)–With more than $57,000 to win bet on her in the first flash of the tote board, Bob Baffert’s Mother Mother “drifted up” in the wagering to go off as the 2-5 favorite in Sunday’s $75,000 Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita and she ran like it, rallying from off the pace to register a 1 1/4 length win under Joel Rosario while getting 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.20.
A solid third in the Grade I, seven furlong La Brea Stakes on opening day Dec. 28, Mother Mother, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Pioneerof the Nile, broke sharply with blinkers off, but was in hand while a measured third leaving the three furlong pole, about 2 ½ lengths off of dueling leaders Show It N Moe It and Lady Ninja before launching a three-wide-bid around the turn. With Show It N Moe the first to tire, Mother Mother, who was hand ridden by Rosario, took command inside the sixteenth pole.
“The blinkers off helped,” said Rosario, who collected his third win of the day. “She was good early, she relaxed well. Those two fillies (Show It N Moe It and Lady Ninja) really wanted to go to the lead and my filly was the best horse in the race.”
Five-time graded stakes placed, Mother Mother, who opened up at odds of 1-9 in a field of five older fillies and mares, paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10.
Owned by Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Barry Hall, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen, Mother Mother, who is out of the Lion Hearted mare Mother, picked up her second stakes win and improved her overall mark to 10-3-3-2. With the winner’s share of $47,400, she increased her earnings to $363,061.
“Last time, she was out on the lead and I told Joel we took blinkers off because she got a little rank,” said Baffert, who will celebrate his 67th birthday on Monday. “Joel always rides his own race and I don’t try to get in his way…He said they were going a little fast early so he rode her with a lot of confidence like you’re supposed to ride a 2 to 5 shot.”
So, where does racing’s most recognizable figure intend to spend his birthday tomorrow? “I’m gonna watch Clemson beat LSU (in tomorrow night’s College Football National Championship Game). I’m all Dabo! (Sweeney, Clemson head coach).”
Clearly second best on the day, Lady Ninja, who was the second choice at 2-1 with Flavien Prat, finished 4 ¼ lengths in front of Show It N Moe It and paid $2.40 and $2.10.
Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Show It N Moe It, who was off at 15-1, paid $2.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.93, 44.96 and 1:09.85.
Racing resumes with a four-day week on Friday. First post time for a seven-race card is at 1 p.m. Santa Anita will be open for simulcast wagering on Wednesday and Thursday, with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.
