Daddy Is a Legend gets it done in Jimmy Durante

DEL MAR, Calif. – Daddy Is a Legend was seven lengths off the front with a quarter-mile remaining in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar.

For jockey Joe Bravo, the deficit was manageable. He saw earlier this fall what Daddy Is a Legend can do through the stretch.

“It takes her a long time to get her in gear,” Bravo said.

Once she did reach her top stride, Daddy Is a Legend ($7.40) rallied wide through the final furlong to win the one-mile turf race for 2-year-old fillies by a length as the favorite.

“She’s a big filly,” Bravo said. “She’s got a big stride. All I had to do was tip her out.”

Daddy Is a Legend was timed in 1:36.06. Data Dependent, trained by Chad Brown, closed from 10th in the field of 12 to finish three-quarters of a length over 6-1 Raucous, who is trained by Christophe Clement.

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Lexington Grace finished fourth, followed by Ever So True, Casino Red, Multiplayer, Fatale Bere, Sappho, Deep Breath, Thewayiam, and Just a Smidge.

Just a Smidge led around the first turn before being challenged by Fatale Bere, the winner of the Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita in October who was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf here on Nov. 3.

There were a few anxious moments for Daddy Is a Legend’s backers during the $100,000 Durante Stakes.

Daddy Is a Legend was ninth or 10th for the first six furlongs and was checked while racing in traffic on the turn before Bravo guided her to the outside for the final quarter-mile.

Daddy Is a Legend gave Bravo his first career stakes win at Del Mar, his eighth stakes mount at the track in the last 20 years. Bravo has ridden in New York in recent months and is based at Fair Grounds this fall.

Owned by Jim and Susan Hill and trained by George Weaver, Daddy Is a Legend has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $107,910. By Scat Daddy, Daddy Is a Legend won a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 27 in her third start.

Bravo, 46, was aboard for that race and made the Durante Stakes the focal point of his day trip to California. He rode at Fair Grounds on Friday and is booked to ride at Aqueduct on Sunday.

“George put me on the best horse,” he said.