Living The Life impressive in Camilla Urso

Talented Irish-bred Living The Life was last early but proved much the best, breezing home to an easy victory in the $55,660 Camilla Urso at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

A 5-year-old daughter of Footstepsinthesand, Living The Life broke last from the rail, but jockey Flavien Prat was unconcerned and gave her a confident ride as he sat behind multiple stakes winner Marks Mine, who opened a one-length advantage on Fast and Foxy early and controlled the pace with ease.

Living The Life ($3.80) began to move up on the turn as Plat moved out off the rail looking for a spot. He swung three wide for an open path in the stretch, and once clear, it was obvious that he was riding the winner.

“I got a good trip,” said Prat. “I just wanted to get her in a place where she was comfortable. She’s got a good turn of foot so she can sit behind horses.”

After Living The Life surged to the lead, Prat just let her gallop home as she widened the margin on her own, winning the six-furlong race by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:09.21. Marks Mine was second, one length in front of Tabled With Gold, who had beaten her in their last start.

“She gave me everything she had,” said Marks Mine’s rider Frank Alvarado. "She runs hard every time."

Living The Life had a 13-4-4-2 record on synthetics in Europe and is now 3 for 3 on synthetic surfaces in the U.S., including the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters, which was also run on a Tapeta surface.

“She likes synthetic, and there aren’t as many races on it as there used to be,” said trainer Gary Mandella, who opted for the Camilla Urso after allergies prevented the mare from running in two stakes at Santa Anita earlier this year.

“Now we have to see if she can transfer that ability to grass,” Mandella said.

Owned by Henry R. Nothhaft of nearby Saratoga, Living The Life earned $30,350 with her eighth victory in 23 starts and has now topped the half-million mark in earnings with $509,594.