Updated on 09/29/2012 10:38PM

Santa Anita: Marketing Mix easy winner of Rodeo Drive

By Steve Andersen
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Benoit & Associates
Marketing Mix, ridden by Garrett Gomez, closes from sixth to win the Rodeo Drive.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Marketing Mix has won races as lucrative as Saturday’s $250,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita, but none as important.

By winning the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive, Marketing Mix has firmly joined the list of contenders for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 2. She earned a fees-paid berth to the race with her comfortable victory in the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf.

“She makes you high on her,” said winning trainer Tom Proctor. “She’s handled everything we ever done to her.”

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Marketing Mix ($4) closed from sixth in a field of 13 to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Nereid. Stormy Lucy finished third.

Marketing Mix had an ideal trip. She was well behind a speed duel between the Proctor-trained Vivo Per Lei and Let’s Go Cheyenne, and moved closer through the final half-mile.

The presence of Vivo Per Lei in a speed duel surprised Proctor.

“I thought we’d be on that horse’s flank,” Proctor said of Vivo Per Lei. “I didn’t think she’d be on her throat latch.”

Marketing Mix has won 8 of 15 starts and $1,299,518 for Glen Hill Farms. Second in the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park in August,

Marketing Mix has won three stakes this year. She won two Grade 2 stakes at Woodbine earlier this year – the Dance Smartly and Nassau.
In 2011, she won the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes for Ontario-breds and was later second in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last October.
 

Jordan More than 1 year ago
The turf distaff division in California just never really recovered from the death of Tuscan Evening. After she won 6 graded stakes to start 2010(and 8 graded stakes over a 12 month period from July 09'-July 10'), the division has just taken turns beating each other. Dubawi Heights provided some hope last year, and Belle Royale appeared to be a rising star this year, but injuries ruined any chances for them to really build up their resumes. Marketing Mix exposed this weakness with a very easy win in the Rodeo Drive. I knew she was a good horse, but I was pleasantly surprised by just how good she was in person. She cut an excellent physical appearance, displayed good tactical speed, and then accelerated away when called upon. I really like that with her tactical speed she can adapt to different pace scenarios; I would have to expect the pace for the BC will not be nearly as quick. With a grade 1 win over the track, Marketing Mix has to go right near the top, if not the #1 position, on the list of BC Filly + Mare Turf contenders.
JoyJackson21 More than 1 year ago
Wow, that speed dual upfront was something, strung out the whole field and burned out the horses vying for the lead. Garrett Gomez rode a great race on Marketing Mix, keeping her far back from the speed dual and pouncing when the leaders had sizzled each other out of the running. Congratulations ot Marketing Mix and her connections on a great win. Nereid ran a fabulous race herself to be a strong second. Nice race, now on to the BC Filly and Mare Turf race, which is shaping up to be a fairly contested race in and of itself. Good luck to Marketing Mix, and to all in the Breeders' Cup races.
HandicapperErni More than 1 year ago
Marketing Mix looked great. She’ll be a contender in that Filly and Mare Turf. Nereid impressed me in defeat she finished 2nd. It had to overcome the outside in that race and certainly Rosie Napravnik did a good hustling ride on that one. Look out for this one at a price in the BC if she gets a good post.
Perl More than 1 year ago
That was a brilliant victory by a very classy mare/filly.
Kenny Garcia More than 1 year ago
Who does Proctor think he's fooling... He obviously entered Vivo Per Lei to set it up for Marketing Mix and burn out the other front runner. Guess his strategy paid off.
Jordan More than 1 year ago
It's hard to avoid the conclusion you drew. On paper, Let's Go Cheyenne appeared to be the lone speed. I knew after that 1st half, Cheyenne had no shot.