Quattroelle ($23.60) ends stakes-win drought with Megahertz
ARCADIA, Calif. - Quattroelle ended her 2-year-old season on New Year’s Eve in 2020 with a first career stakes win in the Blue Norther Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
More than 25 months later, after mixed results in her 3- and 4-year-old seasons, Quattroelle won her second stakes, and first at the graded level, in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Hector Berrios, Quattroelle ($23.60) closed from last in a field of seven in the final quarter-mile to win by a half-length in 1:35.04. Quattroelle earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 90.
As a 5-year-old mare, Quattroelle has changed remarkably since her 2-year-old season, according to trainer Jeff Mullins.
“She’s doing a lot better and Hector has done a lot to improve her,” Mullins said.
Berrios began riding Quattroelle last summer at Del Mar. In five races with him aboard, Quattroelle has never finished worse than third. She won an allowance race at Santa Anita in October and was later second in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar in November and third in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 31.
Despite those recent stakes placings, Quattroelle was ignored in the betting for the $101,000 Megahertz, the second-longest shot in a field of seven.
Berrios had Quattroelle toward the back of the field midway through the race, about three lengths behind pacesetter Bay Storm, who set fractions of 23.37 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.09 for a half-mile.
Quattroelle closed with a rush on the inside in the final furlong to reach the front in the final strides.
“I waited,” Berrios said. “She got clear and she responded.”
Bay Storm (3-1) held second, a half-length in front of 9-2 Closing Remarks.
One Silk Stocking, School Dance, Oakhurst and Nadette completed the order of finish. School Dance, second in the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 26, was the 2-1 favorite. She was well placed in third turning into the stretch, but was not a factor in the final furlong.
Quattroelle, by Mehmas, has won 4 of 14 starts and earned $292,778. Owned by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, Quattroelle was winless in three starts as a 3-year-old in 2021. She did not race for 13 months before returning last June for a six-race campaign as a 4-year-old.
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