Gender Agenda prevails by neck in Robert Frankel Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. - A slow race over a distance on turf was key to Gender Agenda winning the first stakes of her career in Sunday’s $101,750 Robert Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Gender Agenda ($23.80) stalked pacesetter Glory in the Grade 3 race for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles and held off a late threat from 4-1 Stormy Lucy to prevail by a neck.
“We were hoping for a paceless race because we wanted her to stay close up,” trainer Carla Gaines said. “We thought she could get the distance.”
Gender Agenda was timed in 1:50.29.
Glory, the 5-2 favorite who was making her turf stakes debut, set a modest pace of 24.16 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.17 for the first half-mile. She led by a length with a furlong to go, but could not hold off Gender Agenda.
Stormy Lucy, the winner of the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 29, closed from 10th in a field of 12 to finish a nose in front of Glory.
Rusty Slipper finished fourth, followed by Three Hearts, Alexis Tangier, Fresh Feline, Warren’s Veneda, Peace and War, Gas Total, Star Act, and Honey Ride.
Gender Agenda, a 4-year-old British-bred filly by Holy Roman Emperor, races for the partnership of Santa Anita chairman Keith Brackpool; Tim Ritvo, the chief operating officer of The Stronach Group, the parent company of Santa Anita; and Alon Ossip, the chief executive officer of The Stronach Group.
Gender Agenda has won 5 of 18 starts and earned $287,108. She started in two one-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar in November, finishing third in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes on Nov. 1 and fifth behind Stormy Lucy in the Matriarch.