Avenue de France goes last to first in Luther Burbank
Avenue de France ($7) rallied from last and survived an inquiry to win the $52,150 Luther Burbank on Saturday during the Wine Country Racing at Golden Gate Fields meet.
Avenue de France made her move into the lane getting the jump on Clockstrikestwelve and winning a nose photo before the inquiry sign began flashing. Ultimately she was judged the winner, and Clockstrikestwelve was disqualified from second to sixth.
Avenue de France was last 8 1/2 lengths behind pacesetting Dynasty of Her Own at the first call and was also four lengths behind Clockstrikestwelve, who was next to last in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares. . She was last by nine lengths after the opening half and still four behind Clockstrikestwelve.
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As the field began to straighten out into the lane, Clockstikestwelve began to move out inside Dutch Painting while Avenue de France was moving past on the outside as Dutch Painting took up sharply and lost all chance.
Star of Africa ran third, moving up to second, with Dynasty of Her Own moved up to third. Star of Africa finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Avenue de France while edging favored Dynasty of Her Own by three-quarters of a length. The winning time was 1:43.84.
Trainer Leonard Powell was a little surprised the French-bred 4-year-old daughter of Cityscape was so far behind early, but noted she banged into the gate on her break.
“When I saw the 47 fraction for the half mile, I knew she would have a chance. She has quite a good kick in the final quarter of a mile,” he said.
“The stewards made the right call. She always stayed in her lane.”
Avenue de France's initial stakes victory was worth $30,350. She has now earned $122,970 with four wins and four thirds in 12 starts for the Benowitz Family Trust Convergence Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables, and Mathilde Powell.
“She was eligible for a second-level allowance race with a bigger purse, but we wanted her to run in a stakes for her residual value,” Powell said.
