Parranda takes down Royal Heroine Stakes, gives Trujillo milestone win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Elvis Trujillo has been the new face in the jockey standings at the spring-summer meeting at Santa Anita since arriving from Florida in the spring.

Trujillo, who ranks among the top 10 in the riders’ standings, won his richest race of the season in Saturday’s $201,250 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares on turf. He partnered an old friend in the 5-year-old mare Parranda to reach the milestone.

Trujillo won a stakes aboard Parranda at Gulfstream Park last September. The Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes was the first time he had ridden Parranda since March.

The experience helped Parranda win the Royal Heroine by a neck over Kathleen Rose.

Trujillo kept Parranda near the front throughout the one-mile turf race, which drew 10 fillies and mares. Kathleen Rose, sent off at 4-1, set the pace – 47.66 seconds for the first half-mile – and was challenged on the backstretch by the French import Dutchessa, a 20-1 shot.

Parranda, third on the turn, closed outside of Kathleen Rose to reach the wire first, finishing in 1:35.27.

“I felt confident that the filly could finish,” Trujillo said.

The rider was not disappointed when Dutchessa pressured Kathleen Rose.

“That helped me,” he said.

Moulin de Mougin finished third, followed by Wishing Gate, Dancingtothestars, Moone’s My Name, Stormy Lucy, Habibi, Redressthebalance, and Dutchessa.

The speed duel was a point of frustration for Edwin Maldonado, who rode Kathleen Rose.

“We got challenged a little bit by a horse that didn’t have a shot,” Maldonado said. “I thought I’d be alone. I’m happy with her performance.”

Parranda races for a partnership and is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer. By English Channel, Parranda has won 10 of 24 starts and $668,655.

The Royal Heroine is the most prestigious win of Parranda’s career. She won the Grade 3 Suwanee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February when ridden by Jose Lezcano.