Parranda enjoys change of scenery in Wilshire

ARCADIA, Calif. - Parranda began her California career at Santa Anita on Sunday continuing a theme from her final months in Florida over the winter – winning a stakes.

In Sunday’s $100,250 Wilshire Stakes for fillies and mares over a mile on turf, Parranda ($6.40) closed from fifth in a field of six to win the fifth stakes of her career. The Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes was Parranda’s first start for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Earlier this year, Parranda won the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf and Grade 3 Suwanee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park when trained by Rodolfo Garcia.

Hollendorfer said that Parranda has changed since she arrived in California earlier this month.

“She’s just blossoming,” Hollendorfer said. “I think some horses don’t do as well in the Florida weather. Her coat looks like a lot better than when she got here.”

In the Wilshire, Parranda was fifth for the first half-mile under jockey Rafael Bejarano, racing well behind 2-1 favorite Theatre Star, who set quick fractions of 22.80 and 45.98 seconds while closely by Journey On.

“When I saw those horses going into the first turn, I wanted to put her behind the speed,” Bejarano said. “I started to move at the three-eighths pole. When I came into the stretch, I got clear and had room. She was flying.”

Parranda was third on the turn and took the lead before the eighth pole. She extended her advantage in the final furlong to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 5-2 Moone’s My Name. Premier Steps finished third, followed by Theatre Star, Journey On, and Nickels Wild.

Theatre Star, making her stakes debut after four consecutive wins, was beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Parranda races for a partnership. A 5-year-old mare by English Channel, Parranda has won 9 of 22 starts and earned $512,655. Hollendorfer said her next start is likely to be the $300,000 Gamely Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf on May 26.

“She’s won nine times, that’s a lot of races,” Hollendorfer said.