Angela Renee's long trip worthwhile in Chandelier

ARCADIA, Calif. – The decision of trainer Todd Pletcher to send Angela Renee to California to get a two-turn race into her paid off handsomely on Saturday at Santa Anita when Angela Renee captured the Grade 1, $300,500 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

The victory gave Angela Renee a fees-paid berth to the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies through the Win and You’re In program.

Angela Renee, a daughter of Bernardini, had raced three times previously in New York, never farther than seven furlongs. The Chandelier mirrors the BC Juvenile Fillies in that it is a two-turn race at 1 1/16 miles, at the track where this year’s Breeders’ Cup will be held.

“We were hopeful, given her pedigree, that two turns would give her her best chance,” Pletcher said by telephone from New York.

Angela Renee ($7.20), the second choice, got an ideal trip under jockey Rafael Bejarano. In a bulky, 12-horse field she was able to save ground on both turns owing to her draw in post 4, and when Bejarano got her out at the top of the lane she went right on with it.

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Angela Renee safely held off Conquest Eclipse, the 2-1 favorite, to win by 1 1/2 lengths, with Danette another 3 1/2 lengths back in third.

Majestic Presence was fourth and was followed, in order, by Sunday Sonnet, Sharla Rae, Lutine Belle, Manahatta, Morning Coffee, Dad’s Princess, Maybellene, and Cruisingtheharbor.

Angela Renee completed 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:43.45.

Angela Renee was bred and is owned by the Siena Farm of Anthony Manganaro, Ignacio Patino, and David Pope. She was broken in Ocala, Fla., by Pletcher’s father, J.J., who was touting her to his son as far back as December.

“He’s touted horses like Scat Daddy and More Than Ready. It’s a pretty good list,” Pletcher said.

Angela Renee has now won twice in four starts. She beat maidens in her debut at Belmont Park in June, and then was second in the Adirondack and third in the Spinaway, both at Saratoga in August.

Angela Renee was saddled by Michael McCarthy, a former Pletcher assistant who this year went out on his own in his native Southern California. Pletcher said Angela Renee would remain in McCarthy’s care until Pletcher sends the remainder of his Breeders’ Cup horses here from the New York, which he said would be about two weeks before the Breeders’ Cup.

“My thought now is to have their next-to-last work here, and the last one there,” he said.