Ganadora dominates Dark Mirage Stakes

CYPRESS, Calif. - Ganadora, bought for $1 million as a yearling, reached the winner’s circle of a stakes for the first time in Sunday’s $75,000 Dark Mirage Stakes for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Ganadora ($3.60) took command at the start and led throughout the one-mile race to record a comprehensive win by eight lengths.

“She won pretty easily,” Hernandez said. “She broke a little sideways. She recovered in the first sixteenth.”

Ganadora led through an early pace of 23.23 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.76 for a half-mile, holding an advantage of a length midway through the race. Hernandez said Ganadora was briefly waiting for competition.

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“She was looking around for company,” he said. “She had her ears up. She was waiting for something to come to her. When she switched leads, she responded.”

Ganadora was timed in 1:36.30 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90, a career-best. Empire House, a 10-1 chance who won the California Governor’s Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs in Sacramento in July, finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of 5-1 Trouville.

The remaining order of finish was Founder’s Day, Velvet Slippers and Cover Version. Midnight Jamboree was withdrawn in favor of an allowance race on Thursday.

Ganadora, by Quality Road, races for Susan and Charles Chu’s Baoma Corp. and trainer Bob Baffert. Ganadora has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $131,600. She won her first two starts in a maiden race in February and an allowance race in April before she finished fourth of seven in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on June 12.

The Dark Mirage Stakes was Ganadora’s first start since the Summertime Oaks.