DRYSDALE’S MADAME STRIPES TAKES GRADE III, $100,000 MEGAHERTZ STAKES BY 1 ¼ LENGTHS; RIDDEN BY DESORMEAUX, SHE GETS MILE ON TURF IN 1:34.24
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2018)—Although she hopped leaving the gate, Argentine-bred Madame Stripes settled nicely under Kent Desormeaux and easily overhauled favored Insta Erma late to take Monday’s Grade III Megahertz Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths today at Santa Anita. Trained by Neil Drysdale, the 6-year-old mare got a mile on turf in 1:34.24.
Well back into the first turn, Madame Stripes, who had been idle since running third in the Grade II Bayakoa Stakes on dirt Dec. 3, had two horses beat midway around the Club House turn, but was a fast moving fourth approaching the quarter pole and rallied three-wide through the lane to win going away.
The second choice in a field of seven older fillies and mares at 7-2, Madame Stripes paid $9.00, $4.00 and $2.60.
Owned by Gainesway Stable, Madame Stripes notched her first-ever graded stakes win in her 17th career start. The Megahertz represents her fourth overall win and with the winner’s share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $313,218.
Trained by Richard Baltas, Insta Erma moved a bit early inside an erratic Chocolate Coated heading into the far turn and although she out-gamed Thundering Sky for the place, she was no match for the winner late.
Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Insta Erma was off at even money and paid $3.00 and $2.20.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Thundering Sky set a pressured early pace and held off Laseen by a head for third money. Off at 4-1, Thundering Sky paid $3.20 to show.
Fractions on the race were 23.11, 46.98, 1:10.78 and 1:22.44.
Live racing resumes at Santa Anita on Friday, with first post time at 1 p.m.
Santa Anita will be open for simulcast wagering on Wednesday and Thursday.
JOCKEY QUOTES
KENT DESORMEAUX, MADAME STRIPES, WINNER: “Neil was very, very confident in her being ready for today’s occasion. He was mostly concerned with how fresh she was going to be. I rode her European style. I put a little steel in her mouth so she couldn’t jump away from the gate. It worked out well because the rest of the race she was dragging me and she just loomed up to the leaders. Once she got trapped at the three eighths pole she just took that deep breath and presented. She just flew home. It was fun.
“It was a dream situation for our whole team, which I loved, watching Corey make that early move on Insta Erma. I’m glad he did that. I was stuck behind Lady Valeur and Bejarano and was not enjoying my trip at all. When Nakatani made that move, you can see that I dove to the inside and got right behind him. I was hoping he could blaze a trail home for me, and he did.
“I have never ridden Megahertz but she is definitely a part of my career. I chased her my whole career. And now, I finally got to be a part of her name by winning her namesake race.”
COREY NAKATANI, INSTA ERMA, SECOND: “Second best today. She ran her butt off, she really did. Mike’s filly (Smith, aboard Chocolate Coated) was pretty erratic going down the backside and I took a pretty good hold and waited in behind her…but I decided to go so I could get my horse in rhythm.”
TRAINER QUOTES
NEIL DRYSDALE, MADAME STRIPES, WINNER: “When she jumped (leaving the gate) like that, Kent was able to get her covered up and she relaxed. But when I saw 47 (46.98 for the first half mile), I said ‘Uh oh, uh oh!’ The way it turned out, the favorite moved early and I was glad to see that. I think this mare is stronger this year. She’s getting better.”
NOTES: The winning owner is Gainesway Stable of Gainesway Stallion Farm in Lexington, Ky.
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