Daddy Is a Legend appears to have bright future

DEL MAR, Calif. – It may be well into 2018 before the exciting turf filly Daddy Is a Legend has her first start at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.

Daddy Is a Legend won her stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar, closing seven lengths in the final quarter-mile to win by a length under jockey Joe Bravo.

Jim Hill, who owns Daddy Is a Legend with his wife, Susan, said he wanted to see the stakes schedule for the Santa Anita meeting before finalizing plans. The track has yet to publish the full calendar for the meeting, which begins Dec. 26.

Trained by George Weaver, Daddy Is a Legend has won 2 of 4 starts. She won a maiden race on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 27 utilizing the same late rally. Jim Hill said the filly emerged from Saturday’s race in top condition.

“She’s bright and happy,” Hill said.

The style of the win left Hill impressed. Daddy Is a Legend was checked in traffic on the turn. Bravo guided her to the outside before the stretch and got an immediate response to win the one-mile race.

“I haven’t seen any horse close like that,” Hill said. “I thought she was way too far back on the turn.

“I think she’ll stay here and try a stakes or two here. We might give her a breather.”

Daddy Is a Legend gave Bravo his first career stakes win at Del Mar in his eighth stakes mount at the track in the last 20 years.