Closing Remarks takes advantage of clean trip in Royal Heroine Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. – A much-needed clean journey led to the first graded stakes win for Closing Remarks in Saturday’s Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.
In several recent races, Closing Remarks raced in traffic or had a wide trip, finishing second through fourth. In the $200,500 Royal Heroine, Closing Remarks ($4.40) closed from fourth in a field of six without impediment to win by a comfortable 1 1/2 lengths over 5-2 School Dance.
Joe Bravo has ridden Closing Remarks in the 5-year-old California-bred mare’s last seven starts since the end of 2021 prior to the Royal Heroine and said he felt vindicated by the result. Bravo was particularly frustrated when Closing Remarks finished third by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf March 4.
“The last race she should have been unsaddled in the winner’s circle,” Bravo said. “Look at today with a clean trip.”
Trained by Carla Gaines for owner and breeder John Harris, Closing Remarks ran a mile on turf in 1:34.82. She earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92.
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Bravo had Closing Remarks in fourth with a quarter-mile remaining and guided the mare to a wide position in the stretch to reach contention.
“She accelerated turning for home,” Bravo said. “It was cool.”
School Dance, fourth in the Buena Vista, closed from fourth in the stretch to finish second, a neck in front of 10-1 Very Scary. Claimed for $20,000 at Del Mar last September by current trainer Ian Kruljac, Very Scary had her stakes debut in the Royal Heroine, a loss that ended a three-race winning streak of races at Turf Paradise and Santa Anita.
“It was an amazing effort and an amazing training job by Ian,” jockey Kent Desormeaux said.
Honey Jar, who set an early pace of 23.44 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.35 for a half-mile, faded to finish fourth, followed by Nadette and Seisai.
Very Scary was Desormeaux’s only mount Saturday. He took off his mounts on Friday, citing illness.
Closing Remarks, by Vronsky, has won 4 of 14 starts and earned $263,090. She won the California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old statebred fillies at Santa Anita in January 2021, her only previous stakes win.
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