Zasu, Twirling Candy win for Sadler at Santa Anita
February 5, 2011ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Zasu sent Turbulent Descent to the first loss of her career in Saturday's $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita.
Making her 2011 debut as the heavy favorite in the Grade 1 stakes, Turbulent Descent and jockey David Flores rallied from last and passed most of the field of six fillies, but couldn't come close to Zasu, who won by 1 1/4 lengths and gave trainer John Sadler and jockey Joel Rosario the first of two major stakes wins on the day.
Zasu covered one mile in 1:34.86 and paid $10, $3.20 and $2.40. Turbulent Descent paid $2.40 and $2.10. Long shot Plum Pretty was well back in third and paid $15.90 to show.
Trainer Mike Puype had rested Turbulent Descent since she won the Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park on Dec. 11, when she made it three victories in three career starts.
``She probably got a little tired,'' Puype said. ``She hasn't run in eight weeks.''
A gray filly who shares owners Jerry and Ann Moss with Horse of the Year Zenyatta, Zasu has won twice in six career starts and earned $150,000 Saturday for a total of $240,985.
Sadler's own heavy favorite, Twirling Candy, fared far better later Saturday with an almost effortless victory in the $200,000 Strub Stakes.
Twirling Candy and Rosario sat second in the early going, took the lead on the second turn and pulled away from his six 4-year-old opponents to win by 4 1/2 lengths and become the likely favorite for the March 5 Santa Anita Handicap.
Twirling Candy was coming off a win in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26 and now has won six times in seven races.
``My only concern is that I do a good job, because I really feel this is the best horse in the country,'' Sadler said. ``I beat up myself a few times for the time he got beat, maybe he wasn't quite his best that day.''
Twirling Candy covered 1 1-8 miles in 1:46.53 and earned $120,000 for a career total of $579,900. He paid $3, $2.40 and $2.10. Tweebster paid $3.60 and $2.80. Make Music for Me paid $5.60 to show.
In the day's third graded stakes, Fluke edged Proudinsky to win the $100,000 Thunder Road Handicap and break a 46-race losing streak for trainer Humberto Ascansio.