Legacy's nose hits wire first in Cypress

CYPRESS, Calif.- The development Legacy showed earlier this year, going from a maiden race winner in January to a stakes-placing in April, continued on Sunday with her first stakes win in the $78,300 Cypress Stakes at Los Alamitos.

The victory erased the disappointment of a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes at Santa Anita in May.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Legacy ($8.20) closed from third in a field of five to win the Cypress Stakes over 1 1/16 miles by a nose over Onna Bugeisha, the 8-5 favorite. Onna Bugeisha finished a half-length in front of 11-1 Irish Presence, who was followed by Maker or Breaker and Miss Radiance.

The first three finishers looked like winners in the final furlong.

Legacy rallied three-wide in the stretch and was within a head of leader Onna Bugeisha with a furlong remaining. She was timed in 1:41.84.

Legacy races for John Jain, Larry Opas, and Frank Sinatra and is trained by John Sadler. A 4-year-old filly by Sightseeing, Legacy has won 3 of 12 starts and earned $151,050. She lost her first five starts, and has won three of her last six races.

Her loss in the Adoration Stakes was forgiven at the barn, according to Sadler’s assistant, Larry Benavidez.

“She had a good December through April,” Benavidez said. “It’s hard for fillies to stay the same. She was good today.”

Legacy has won three times on dirt, but could make her next start on Polytrack at Del Mar later this summer.

“This brings up some interesting questions for Del Mar,” Benavidez said.