Toupie wires the Unzip Me (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
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Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— It was a successful trip west for Toupie. Sent off the even-money favorite in Saturday’s $100,000 Unzip Me Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Toupie went to the front under Flavien Prat and was never headed on her way to a comfortable victory sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course.
Shipped by trainer Graham Motion from Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, Toupie held off a mild late big from longshot runner-up Queen Maxima (18-to-1) to score by 1 1/2 lengths. It was Toupie’s third stakes win and fourth victory overall in nine starts for owner-breeder Wertheimer and Frere. She now has $302,775 in earnings.
“She broke very well and felt all the way in control,” Prat said. “She had never run that far sprinting…she responded really well when it was time to make a move.”
Queen Maxima, ridden by Antonio Fresu for trainer Jeff Mullins, drew in off the also-eligible list and finished 2 ¾ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Alluring (30-1). Omaha Girl, ridden by Abel Cedillo for trainer George Papaprodromou, finished fourth at 25-1 to complete a $272.07 superfecta for 10 cents.
Toupie’s previous stakes wins came in the Stormy Blues Stakes at Laurel Park and in last year’s Stewart Manor Stakes at Aqueduct, both turf sprints.
“She was pretty impressive,” Motion said. “When Flavien made the lead so comfortably and went around the first bend, I felt pretty confident. I was just a little worried about the dirt because she had never crossed the dirt before, but she handled everything.”
A 3-year-old filly by Uncle Mo, Toupie set fractions of 21.76, 44:05 and 1:06.16 before crossing the wire in 1:11.94. She paid $4.00, $2.60 and $2.40 for the popular victory. Queen Maxima returned $12.00 and $7.40. Alluring, ridden by Kazushi Kimura for trainer Richard Mandella, paid $9.20 to show.
