Pyscho Sister, Lynne's Legacy split divisions of Miss America Stakes

ALBANY, Calif. – Pyscho Sister ($4.20) had a grand farewell and Lynne's Legacy ($15) a grand return as the two each scored their initial stakes victories in the divisions of the Miss America Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Both divisions were scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf and moved to the Tapeta main track due to safety concerns about a soft spot on the turf course.

In the $53,200 second division, Pyscho Sister led at every call under jockey William Antongeorgi III. The race was as good as over after a 25.52 opening quarter and 50.02 opening half.

The 5-year-old daughter of Freud clocked 1:43.99 for 1 1/16 miles. She beat Fizzy Friday, who ran second all the way, by three lengths. Bella Luma was third.

"She relaxed nicely. I was just on cruise control," said Antongeorgi.

Trainer Ari Herbertson, who claimed Pyscho Sister earlier this year for his father Scott, has called her his favorite horse. From here, the mare will be sent to Florida to be bred to Bucchero and then return to California to drop the foal.

"It's nice to go out with a win," Ari Herbertson said. "It's nice to retire sound, and it's nice to think we'll have a nice baby in three years."

Scott Herbertson said the retirement was brought about by a combination of things including being out of conditions and probably having to face the challenge of running against graded stakes company in the future.

The victory, Pyscho Sister's seventh in 27 starts, was worth $30,500. She winds up with career earnings of $185,790.

Earlier on the card, in the $63,125 first division of the Miss America, Lynne's Legacy unleashed a strong closing kick to rally from last to first.

Winning rider Alonso Quinonez was content to sit back early on the 5-year-old daughter of Unusual Heat.

"That's the way she runs races, I was going to do that no matter what. I got a perfect trip," he said.

Lynne's Legacy was last in the field of eight as Savannah Slew set the early pace. The front-runner was challenged and overtaken by Birdie Gold into the stretch, but the new leader was no match for the late-running Lynne's Legacy, who split horses in the lane, defeating Fiery Lady by 1 1/2 lengths. Birdie Gold was a head behind the runner-up in third. The winning time was 1:44.08.

Lynne's Legacy was claimed away from trainer Doug O'Neill two starts back at Santa Anita for $40,000. In her next start, on Nov. 22 at Del Mar, two of the original owners, Maureen Richardson and Steve Rothblum, joined by Ritchie Robershaw, teamed with O'Neill to claim her back for the same price. Her win Saturday was worth $39,450 to the group.

Going into the Miss America, Lynne's Legacy had made 27 of her 28 career starts on turf, but when the race was moved to the synthetic main track, the connections decided to stay in the race.

"We knew turf horses run well on it so we decided to run," said Leandro Mora, O'Neill's assistant. "My only concern was it's brown, and she might think she was running on dirt, but she's like me, color-blind, so it didn't matter."

Lynne's Legacy has now won 5 of 29 starts with total earnings of $305,780.

Golden Gate racing secretary Patrick Mackey said the decision to move the races to the main track was made because a section of the turf course near the sixteenth pole was still quite soft from recent rains, while the rest of the course was in good shape.

With 18 entered, the race was split into divisions, and even that worked out perfectly for the winning connections.