Fair Maiden ($43.20) notches La Brea upset

A year that neither trainer Eoin Harty nor jockey Ricky Gonzalez could have envisioned ended on an upbeat note Saturday at Santa Anita when they joined forces to pull off a 20-1 upset with Fair Maiden in the Grade 1, $302,500 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Fair Maiden ended her 2-year-old campaign going long on turf, and that’s likely what was envisioned early this year. Then the pandemic hit. Her debut was delayed until September, and with allowance conditions still available, Harty tried her on dirt at Churchill Downs, where she won a sprint impressively, making the La Brea her goal for the end of the year.

She ran once after that, in the Fort Springs at Keeneland on Breeders’ Cup Saturday, and finished fourth after a horrendous trip.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, had been based in Northern California before relocating, a decision that on Saturday brought him the first Grade 1 win of his career.

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“I’m just so happy and excited,” he said in an interview broadcast on Santa Anita’s simulcast site. “I’m thankful to Eoin and all the trainers for all the opportunities.”

Fair Maiden ($43.20) was seventh in the field of 10 during the early portion of the seven-furlong race, but the pace unfolded in her favor, with Biddy Duke leading through fast fractions of 21.88 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.59 seconds for the half.

Fair Maiden gained ground on the far turn and then powered home strongly through the lane while in the middle of the track, kicking clear to beat 12-1 Golden Principal by 2 1/4 lengths. Fair Maiden completed seven furlongs in 1:22.69.

Golden Principal finished best of the four Bob Baffert trainees in the race, 1 1/2 lengths in front of stablemate Merneith. Finite, the 2-1 favorite, belatedly got up for fourth after trailing early.

Secret Keeper was fifth and was followed, in order, by Provocation, Himiko, Biddy Duke, Motivated Seller, and Princess Mo. Stellar Sound was scratched earlier in the day.

Fair Maiden, a daughter of Street Boss, was bred and is owned by Godolphin Racing. This was her fourth victory in eight starts, her first graded stakes win, and her second stakes win, following the listed Catch a Glimpse on turf last year at Woodbine.

She earned $180,000 on Saturday to bring her bankroll to $321,278.

It was a nice way to end a challenging year.

“I hope I never see another year like this,” Harty said.