Fahan Mura can't be caught in Frankel Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – On Nov. 4, Fahan Mura took the early lead in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita and finished second, unable to hold off the multiple stakes winner Vasilika. At Del Mar on Dec. 2, Fahan Mura set a quick pace in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes and paid a toll, fading to finish 12th of 13.

In Saturday’s Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita, Fahan Mura once again set the lead. This time, she was uncatchable.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Fahan Mura ($5.40) won the $151,035 race at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares by three-quarters of a length over Excellent Sunset, the 2-1 second choice in a field of eight.

The Robert Frankel Stakes was the first graded stakes win for Fahan Mura, who ran in $32,000 claiming races as recently in February. Through the year, she has often set the pace.

“It looked like it would work out that way on paper,” winning trainer Vladimir Cerin said of the tactics. “He rode her superbly.”

Sent off favored, Fahan Mura was timed in 1:46.85 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95. She set relatively slow fractions of 23.48 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.43 for a half-mile, leading by as much as 2 1/2 lengths. Excellent Sunset was fourth on the backstretch and made progress against Fahan Mura in early stretch but was unable to close the gap.

Excellent Sunset finished a length in front of 9-2 Quebec, who was followed by Escape Clause, Amboseli, Lucy De, Gliding By, and Sweet Charity.

Fahan Mura, a 4-year-old filly by English Channel, won two restricted races earlier this year – the Osunitas Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar in July and the Swingtime Stakes here in October.

Owned by Bran Jam Stable and David Clark, Fahan Mura has won 9 of 23 starts and earned $431,815. Cerin said Fahan Mura is scheduled to stay in training in 2019.