Notis the Jewell surprises She's a Warrior in Ballerina

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Notis the Jewell wrapped up local divisional honors with an upset victory over even-money favorite She’s a Warrior in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina at Hastings on Sunday.

She paid $17.10.

With leading rider Richard Hamel aboard, Notis the Jewell was sitting comfortably in sixth while Yukon Belle and Citizen Kitty dueled through interior fractions of 23:90 and 47.94 seconds in the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares. Hamel asked her to get involved approaching the quarter-pole and she immediately responded.

Making a three-wide move she collared the leaders on the stretch turn and, after wresting control from She’s a Warrior at the top of the stretch, she drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths. She’s a Warrior had a perfect trip with Mario Gutierrez riding. She sat just behind the top two, looked like she might blow the field away on the stretch turn, but couldn’t hold off the winner. Sailingforthesun came from a stalking position to finish third.

She posted a final time of 1:51.64.

Trained by Bill McLaren, it was the third straight stakes win for the 4-year-old British Columbia-bred.

“She just keeps getting better,” Hamel said. “She really put it into gear like a good horse today. The way she was moving at the quarter-pole I was pretty confident she was going to get there.”

McLaren leases Notis the Jewell from Larry Fielding. Fielding inherited the horse when his father, Len Fielding, who bred the 4-year-old daughter of Stephanotis, died in February.

“When Larry asked me if I wanted to lease her I thought I could get one win out of her,” McLaren said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think she was going to become a stakes winner and win the Ballerina. It has been an incredible year.”