Saturday, January 10, 2015

STAKES RECAP: Pan Zareta Stakes

1751 Gentilly Blvd.,   New Orleans, LA 70119   www.fairgroundsracecourse.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Michael Adolphson, Staff Writer, 504.948.1255, Michael.Adolphson@fgno.com


GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED IN PAN ZARETA PROCESSION

NEW ORLEANS (Saturday, January 10, 2015) – Richard and Bertram Klein’s Good Deed exuded absolute class throughout the 50th running of the $60,000 Pan Zareta Stakes on Saturday afternoon, making all the running en route to an easy victory. In the process, she proved to the appreciative on-track Fair Grounds Race Course crowd that bet her down to 1-5 that she truly was not fully cranked when setting a track record over the same turf and 5½-furlong distance on Dec. 14.  Under a confident Brian Hernandez, Jr., the daughter of Broken Vow went to the front immediately, was in complete control throughout and easily dismissed Dream Walkin Farms’ defending champion Seeking Ms Shelley by 2½ lengths for trainer Steve Margolis.

            Good Deed won the fifth stakes race of her career and third at the New Orleans oval in what was the ninth victory in 16 lifetime races.  Breaking from the three-hole in the field of five, the 6-year-old bay set fractions of :22.06, :45.30, :56.78 en route to a final time of 1:02.88 – .57 off her own course mark.  The Klein homebred paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10, earning $36,000 to increase her career bankroll to $362,803.  The victory made her two-for-two with Hernandez and avenged a runner-up loss in the same race last year to the aforementioned Joe Duhon trainee.

            “It was perfect,” Hernandez said.  “The biggest thing was to make sure we leave there good.  Anytime you ride these 1-9 shots in stakes like that, you have to be careful.  I went to Florida a couple years ago and rode (2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner) Fort Larned in his first race back and he stumbled out of the gate.  That’s the only thing I was thinking about going to the gate (today) – just make sure she breaks cleanly – and she did and she showed the type of filly she is.”

Margolis was visibly proud of his charge.  “She was two-fifths off her last race and the rail is out 15 feet today,” he said.  “She’s just a class horse.  She’s really stayed healthy and we’re very pleased with her.  She’s very talented like her half-brothers Due Date and Country Day and it’s a special family for Richard and his father and the family.  There’s (the $75,000 Ladies Turf Sprint) at Gulfstream in February we’ll look at, now.  Then we’ll go to Keeneland and Churchill with her.”

            Seeking Ms Shelley, a 9-year-old mare, made the 28th and final start of a career that saw her win 13 races – including three stakes.  Dismissed at nearly 23-1, she made an eye-opening move at the five-sixteenths-pole en route to reaching the flank of Good Deed in early stretch.  Racing gamely in defeat under Robby Albarado – under whom she won the $60,000 Spring Fever Stakes at Oaklawn Park in 2013 – she finished 4¼ lengths ahead of Joseph Novogratz’s Hugh Robertson-trained Stoupinator in third.

            “It was a great trip and she ran good,” Albarado said.  “I thought I had a shot but (Good Deed) is a really nice filly who is so fast with that high cruising speed that keeps going.  Take nothing away from Seeking Ms Shelley – she’s a great filly.  You love to see a 9-year-old run as hard as she did.  That was fast – I’ve been around here a long time and I’ve never gone in 1:02.”

Duhon reflected on his star mare’s career.  “She’s been so good,” he said.  “She’s nine years old and she’s going to breeding shed this week to be bred to Malibu Moon.  She gives 150% every time she runs.  She was 22-1 today and has never been odds that high with me.  She ran a big race.  No one went out with (Good Deed) and that’s what hurt her.  Robby told me ‘you don’t know what that feels like when she moves like a jet like that’.  I thought she might get there and she didn’t quit trying.  I can’t even give you the words to tell you what kind of filly she is.”

            The daughter of Cactus Ridge paid $7.80 and $3.40, while Stoupinator – under Francisco Torres – paid $3 to show. 

            One Time Only and Angie’s Prim Lady completed the order of finish.  Starship Duchess was scratched.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation’s third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 11 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 143rd Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 102nd running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 2014 through March 2015. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.

 

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