Monashee takes Breeders' Cup Ballerina

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Monashee, under a confident ride by Justin Stein, cruised to a 4 3/4 length win in the $178,350 Grade 3 at Hastings Saturday afternoon.

Breaking sharply from the rail, Stein moved Monashee off of the rail where she stalked a moderate pace set by Pretty Meadow. When Stein called on her at the quarter-pole, Monashee made a powerful move and the only question from there was how far she was going to win by.

"When I asked her to run, she just let her rip right away," said Stein.

Trained by Tracy McCarthy, Monashee, who was facing older fillies and mares for the first time, also won the Grade 3 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Oaks and joined Delta Colleen as the only horses to win both the Oaks and Ballerina in the same year. She earned $108,060 for her owner, Canmor Farms.

Socorro County made a late run to finish second and Pretty Meadow held on for third. Raylene, who was sent off as the 3-2 favorite, finished a non-threatening fourth.

Final time for the 1 1/8 miles over a track rated sloppy was 1:50.40.