Special Wan under Joel Rosario. (Benoit Photo)
Del Mar Press
DEL MAR, Calif.—With a tremendous Breeders’ Cup Saturday underway, Special Wan proved she is indeed something special in taking the Grade 3, $300,000 Goldikova Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths for fillies and mares three years old and up, at one mile on turf.
With the longest shot on the board at 70-1 Violeta M and Mike Smith carving out the fractions of 22.82, 46.29, Special Wan (8-5) sat off the early leader about five lengths back, at the five sixteenths pole, she pulled away in the turn for home under a hand ride from Joel Rosario to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Eastern invader Breath Away (11-1) who was coming off a two-win streak for trainer Miguel Clement held on gamely after a four wide bid to nail third place finisher Medoro (5-2) and Umberto Rispoli by a neck.
“She’s a very special horse and she showed me that again today. I knew Mike (Smith) and Violeta M were going fast on the lead, but my horse just relaxed and settled comfortably behind her. She made the lead easily on her own, I just let her go. I shook the reins at her just to keep her focused in the stretch and she finished well. She was the best horse in the race, that’s for sure.” Rosario said.
Special Wan came west for Brendan Walsh following a two-month layoff after winning Grade 3, Resolute Racing Ladies Turf Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Aug 30. She tried her hand in the Grade I, Just a Game Stakes finishing a close third at Saratoga. A five-year-old mare by Belardo, she is owned by Team Valor International and Steven Rocco, Special Wan improved her record to 11-5-2-3 with $1,007,598 in total earnings.
“She gave us confidence all week. She’s been training great coming into this, so it was great.” Said Walsh.
Special Wan returned $5.20, $3.40 and $2.40, Breath Away who was ridden by Flavien Prat paid $8.60 and $2.80. The Peter Eurton trained Medoro returned $2.80 to show.
