Mucho Unusual takes another graded stakes in Megahertz at Santa Anita
ARCADIA, Calif. -- Mucho Unusual’s affinity for Santa Anita’s turf course continued on Monday with a predictable win in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile.
Mucho Unusual ($2.80) stalked pacesetter Brooke, and held off a sustained threat from old rival Sedamar to win by three-quarters of a length, finishing in 1:35.89.
Brooke, a multiple stakes winner from Chile, finished third, but was disqualified and placed last in a field of four for interfering with Colonial Creed in early stretch.
Ippodamia’s Girl and Lucky Peridot were withdrawn early Monday.
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Mucho Unusual has won her last three starts at Santa Anita, a span that includes victories in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles in September and the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Dec. 27.
Trained by Tim Yakteen for owner and breeder George Krikorian, Mucho Unusual finished 12th of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
Yakteen said the relatively quick turnaround from the Frankel to the $98,000 Megahertz was logical considering Mucho Unusual is not expected to race again until the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles for fillies and mares on turf on March 27.
“We thought we could take advantage of a light field,” Yakteen said.
Runner-up Sedamar had her graded stakes debut in the Megahertz. Trained by Shelbe Rus, Sedamar and Mucho Unusual were second and third in the Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at Del Mar last August.
Mucho Unusual was the 1-2 favorite in that field, but was mentally exhausted before the start, Yakteen said.
“That day at Del Mar, Mucho got really upset in the paddock,” Yakteen said. “Today, she was calm, cool, and collected.”
A 5-year-old mare by Mucho Macho Man has won 7 of 19 starts and earned $822,715. The Megahertz was her fourth career stakes win, all of which have been on turf at Santa Anita.