Quattroelle avoids traffic to win Blue Norther Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Quattroelle was unable to overcome traffic issues in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes on Nov. 28 at Del Mar, finishing a fast-closing third.

In Thursday’s $80,150 Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita, Quattroelle had no such impediment and closed well to win her first stakes in the one-mile turf race for 2-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Quatroelle ($8.20) finished three-quarters of a length in front of Javanica, the 9-5 favorite who was second in the Durante. Carpe Fortuna (5-1) was third in the field of eight.

Quatroelle was timed in 1:35.72.

“I don’t know good she is,” Baze said. “She’s very nice. She was pulling herself up when she made the lead.”

In the Durante Stakes at a mile on turf, Quattroelle closed from ninth in a field of 10 in the final quarter-mile. Despite the traffic problems, Quattroelle rallied wide and finished well to end up three-quarters of a length behind Fluffy Socks.

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The incident on the turn in the Durante “cost me the race,” Baze recalled Thursday. “She should have been 1-9 today.”

Quattroelle, an Irish-bred by Mehmas, races for Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal and trainer Jeff Mullins.

Quattroelle has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $94,572. Third in her only start in Ireland, a maiden race at Leopardstown in August, Quattroelle won her American debut in a maiden special weight race at a mile on turf on Oct. 3 at Santa Anita.