Constantia surges in final furlong, takes Mizdirection

ARCADIA, Calif. - Constantia has a found a niche in sprint races starting on the new turf chute at Santa Anita.

A 4-year-old filly, Constantia won for the third time in four starts this year in Saturday’s $80,300 Mizdirection Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs on turf. Those wins have been in races beginning in the new chute.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Constantia ($21.40) closed from last to take the lead in the final furlong, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over 7-5 second choice Superstition.

Superstition was near the front throughout, chasing 10-1 Annangel, who set early fractions of 21.06 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.13 for a half-mile. Constantia was second with a furlong remaining and rallied between rivals to take the lead.

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“She had speed in front of her,” winning trainer John Sadler said.

Superstition finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of 15-1 Biddy Duke, who was followed by She’s So Special, Annangel, and Leggs Galore, the 6-5 favorite. Leggs Galore was third for the first half-mile, but faded tamely through the stretch.

Constantia was timed in 1:08.36 and won her first stakes in the Mizdirection in her 12th start for owner and breeder Keith Abrahams. By Munnings, Constantia has won four races and has earned $149,752.

Constantia earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92, a career-best.

Earlier this year, Constantia won an allowance race and a starter allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf and was third in the restricted Wishing Well Stakes behind Superstition over the same course and distance on Feb. 15.

Santa Anita built a turf chute for races at six- and 6 1/2 furlongs last fall.

The course was introduced at the start of the winter-spring current meeting on Dec. 26. The track no longer runs sprints on the hillside turf course, and uses that portion of the course sparingly for the start of longer turf races at distances ranging from 1 1/4 miles to about 1 3/4 miles.