Roberta's Mango wins her first stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. - Almost a year to the day after Roberta's Mango was claimed for $32,000, she became a stakes winner at Del Mar - and earned a brief vacation.

In Friday's $92,725 Daisycutter Handicap, Roberta's Mango rallied from fifth along the rail to take the lead in the final furlong. Ridden by Corey Nakatani for Julio Canani, Roberta's Mango held off a late rally from Swiss Lake to win by a half-length. Grant Marty a Wish, the 6-5 favorite who led to early stretch, finished third in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

Roberta's Mango ($10.60) finished five furlongs on turf in 55.60 seconds.

Roberta's Mango was claimed by Canani on July 31, 2002 from a maiden race at Del Mar.

Roberta's Mango has now won 6 of 15 starts and earned $247,645. Friday's race was her stakes debut. Last year she had been offered for claiming prices ranging from $32,000 to $62,500. The stakes win was her fourth victory in her last five starts.

This fall, Canani has two sprints on the Santa Anita hillside turf course in mind for the 4-year-old Roberta's Mango - the $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap on Oct. 11 and the $150,000 California Cup Distaff on Nov. 8. She is unlikely to race until the Maddy.