Shocking Grey springs the upset under Antonio Fresu (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
$125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on California Cup Day
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Shocking Grey outran even-money favorite Stay and Scam in the stretch to pull off an 8-1 upset in Saturday’s $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course on California Cup Day at Santa Anita.
With Antonio Fresu aboard, Shocking Grey ranged up to the outside of leader Stay and Scam when reaching the dirt crossing and kicked clear late to earn her first stakes win by 2 ¼ lengths. Stay and Scam held on for second by a half-length over Moment’s Pleasure (3-1). Elegant Sway, a 108-1 longshot with Kyle Frey up for trainer Victor Trujillo, checked in fourth. The 10-cent superfecta returned $160.78.
Trained by Jeff Mullins, Shocking Grey won in a time of 1:13.42. Fractions for the race were 22.70, 45.32 and 1:07.65 for six furlongs.
“I’ve never sat on the filly before, but I listened to the trainer,” Fresu said. “He did a very good job to bring her in perfect form. He just told me the key with this field was just to get her to the outside and let her be free.”
Shocking Grey is a 6-year-old mare by Grazen. She was bred by the late Don Valpredo and is owned by Valpredo Family Trust. The win lifted Shocking Grey’s record to 14: 3-3-4 with $250,750 in earnings.
“I don’t think it had anything to do with the hill, it was just the jockey did what I told him to, which was to stay on the outside. Last few times, she was stuck on the rail,” Mullins said.”
Valpredo’s daughter, Alexis Moseley, was on hand for the victory. She reflected on her early years attending Santa Anita with her father, who was a giant in California racing and breeding.
“We were here every morning, and we would go to the barns and see the jockeys and the horses,” Moseley said. “We would be in the Winner’s Circle by the end of the day. It is such an honor to be representing today and with two wins in our pocket.”
In Saturday’s third race, Valpredo homebred Mayacama ($3.40) scored in a $50,000 maiden claimer for fillies and mares.
Shocking Grey paid $19.00, $5.60 and $3.40. Stay and Scam, ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Doug O’Neill, returned $2.60 and $2.20. Moment’s Pleasure, with Flavien Prat up for trainer Craig Lewis, paid $2.80.
