Quattroelle surges late to take the Buena Vista (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Mike Willman/Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— Under patient handling from Hector Berrios, Irish-bred Quattroelle surged late to take Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes by a half-length. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Quattroelle got one mile over a turf listed as good in 1:35.74.
Unhurried behind a pedestrian pace set by Kitty Kitana to the far turn, the complexion of Buena Vista changed suddenly as Kitty Kitana, with Flavien Prat up, stopped three furlongs from home, enabling longshot Tik Tok Famous to get first run on the field around the far turn.
Fifth, about three lengths off the lead at the quarter pole, Quattroelle lengthened her stride as School Dance made a brief lead while joined to her outside by Nadette, who was unable to hold off eventual runner-up Macadamia at the rail and Quattroelle, who rallied five-deep to get up in time.
A winner of the Grade III Megahertz Stakes at one mile on turf here Feb. 4, Quattroelle was off as the 3-1 second choice and paid $8.60, $4.40 and $3.00.
A 5-year-old Irish-bred mare, Quattroelle notched her second graded stakes win and her third overall. Owned by Red Baron’s Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, she picked up $120,000 for the win, boosting her earnings to $412,772 from an overall mark of 15-5-3-4.
Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Brazilian-bred Macadamia finished one length in front of Closing Remarks and paid $4.60 and $3.00 while off at 7-2.
California-bred Closing Remarks, off at 6-1 with Joe Bravo, rallied well from far back and paid $3.40 while off at 6-1.
Fractions on the race were 23.32, 47.96, 1:12.42 and 1:24.11.
Grade II, $200,000, Buena Vista Stakes Quotes
Jockey Quotes
Hector Berrios, Quattroelle, Winner: “Patience is what I had. When you know you have a good mare, you can just wait for the right time to make your move. She was ready to move on the turn. When you are the ‘favorite’, everyone is looking at you. I waited for that moment to move and she did the rest.”
Trainer Quotes
Jeff Mullins, Quattroelle, Winner: “Hector has really figured her out. It wasn’t until her last race in the Megahertz that he decided to just be a little more patient and it worked.
“She came out of that race really well and she’s trained just as she’s always had. We just knew. Today she just got a cleaner trip. Hector just sat there, and sat there, I thought, ‘Man you gotta go some time,’ and she just kicked away. Hector is the key to this filly right now.”
