ZARDANA carrying 120 pounds, is listed as a 6-year-old now, but because she’s South American-bred she’s really only five and a half. She was foaled on Sept. 12. She is a Brazilian mare out of Irish Crimson Tide and is being trained by John Sherriffs, the same trainer as Zenyatta. She is most noted for breaking Rachel Alexandra's winning streak last month by winning the New Orleans Ladies with Rachel coming in second by only 3/4 of a length. Before then, she had a notable win in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap last December at Santa Anita. However, that was the only graded race she has ever won. She has won 7 other races but they were ungraded (including the New Orleans Ladies). She seems to be improving in her races and earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure for her last performance in the New Orleans Ladies.
Zardana beat Rachel by 3/4 lengths last month
UNRIVALED BELLE carrying 120 pounds, is a 4 year old filly out of Unbridled's Song. As a 3 year old, she won two ungraded races before coming in 2nd in the Grade 1 Gazelle Handicap (the winner was Flashing, who Rachel beat by 19+ lengths a few months prior). This year, she finished just out of the money in her first race, the Grade 2 La Canada, probably because she did not like to run on synthetics. However, in her second race of the year run on dirt, the Grade 3 Rampart Stakes, competitor Bambera stumbled out of the gate and cut a tendon, so Unbridled Belle took advantage of the situation and won by 1-3/4 lengths.
Unrivaled Belle wins the G3 Rampart last month
BE FAIR carrying 118 pounds, is a 4 year old filly out of Exchange Rate. It is deja vu again because last year around the same time Be Fair and Rachel Alexandra also competed. That was the Kentucky Oaks where Rachel won by 20+ lengths, and Be Fair finished just out of the money in 4th place. Be Fair has actually only won one stakes race, the Grade 3 Lake George in July of last year, and mostly finished out of the money in most other races. However, she seems to be improving because she came in a gamely 3rd place in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at the beginning of this month where Zenyatta won (of course).
Be Fair won the G3 Lake George last summer
DISTINCTIVE DIXIE carrying 118 pounds, is a 5 year old mare out of Fusaichi Pegasus. She won 3 allowance races, but has never won a stakes race. However, she came in 2nd early this month in the Bayakoa at Oaklawn (not the same race as the Bayakoa Handicap at Santa Anita that Zardana won, of course).
MORENA carrying 118 pounds, is a 6 year old mare out of Privately Held. Because she is an import from Peru, I had a hard time finding accurate information about her from Peru. In the U.S., however, it seems she has never won a stakes race but has placed in the money three times. She placed second in a Grade 3 race, second in a Grade 2 race, and third in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Handicap last August.
No comments:
Post a Comment