ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 24, 2013)—Canadian-bred Fanticola tried Santa Anita’s 6 ½ furlong hillside turf course for the first time Thursday, taking the featured $51,000 Crusher Allowance Purse under Joe Talamo by a half length in 1:13 flat, providing trainer Mike Mitchell with his second win on the day.
An impressive gate to wire maiden special weight winner going a mile on turf at Del Mar, Fanticola rallied from off the pace at odds of 9-1 to post her second win in a row—both with Talamo aloft.
“She’s a fast filly,” said Talamo. “There was a lot of speed in there today, but you can put her wherever you want her. She tracked a couple of horses on the lead and when we crossed the dirt turning for home, she was great through there. It’s a lot of fun riding for these connections.”
With longshot J K’s Mischief setting the pace from the outside post in the 10-horse Crusher, Fanticola sat third, five lengths off the lead as the field approached the quarter pole through splits of 21.62, 43.59 and 1:07.12.
Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joseph Scardino, Fanticola, a 3-year-old Ontario Canadian-bred filly by the Sunday Silence stallion Silent Name, paid $20.60, $12.20 and $8.60.
With the winner’s share of $30,600, Fanticola hiked her earnings to $113,600, while improving her record to 5-2-2-1.
Next to last after the first half mile, 4-1 second choice Moulin de Mougin, with Mike Smith aboard, came charging but ran out of real estate to finish second, one length in front of 12-1 shot Zanbo and David Flores.
Moulin de Mougin paid $5.60 and $4.20.
Zanbo, who was mid-pack after a half mile, finished well to be third, 1 ¼ lengths in front of longshot Lilbourne Eliza, and paid $5.00 to show.
Tribal Spy, the 7-2 favorite with Irving Orozco, was forwardly placed early but faded through the drive to finish seventh.
There is a Pick Six carryover into Friday at Santa Anita of $46,733. The Pick Six will cover races three through eight.
First post time for the eight-race program is 1 p.m.
About Us
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets.The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horseracing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.