Edgeway bounces back with Rancho Bernardo Handicap win
Edgeway rebounded from the worst performance of her career earlier this summer to win her second stakes of 2021 in Friday’s Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for female sprinters at Del Mar.
The win put Edgeway closer to a potential start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Sent off favored, Edgeway ($4) disputed the pace with 5-2 Stellar Sound to early stretch before pulling clear to win by a length over 7-1 Proud Emma, who closed from last in a field of four.
Edgeway and Stellar Sound dueled through fractions of 22.31 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.94 for a half-mile. Stellar Sound, who led briefly on the turn, faded from contention in the final furlong, but held third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.
Scotish Star, a Group 1 winner in Argentina last October, was third for much of the race, but offered no threat in the stretch, finishing last in the field of four.
Edgeway, who was ridden by Joe Bravo, ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.80 in the $98,000 Rancho Bernardo. Edgeway earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 93.
“I was sitting on the best horse,” Bravo said on TVG. “We had the catbird seat all the way around. When she put that horse away, she got really brave.”
Bravo rode Edgeway for the first time Friday.
A 4-year-old filly by the Super Saver stallion Competitive Edge, Edgeway won her 2021 stakes debut in the $250,000 Carousel Stakes at six furlongs on April 10 at Oaklawn Park. Edgeway was only fourth in a field of five, beaten 11 1/4 lengths by division leader Gamine, in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes on July 5 at Los Alamitos.
Earlier this month, Edgeway recorded solid workouts in preparation for the Rancho Bernardo, the leading sprint stakes for females at the Del Mar summer meeting.
Edgeway has won 5 of 8 starts and earned $417,200 for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler.