Santa Anita: Lindz Winz upsets off-the-turf Irish O'Brien

ARCADIA, Calif. – When it looked like the Irish O’Brien Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita would have a small field, Barry Abrams, the trainer and co-owner of Lindz Winz, figured he’d run her, even though she’d be a longshot, figuring she had a chance to at least pick up some black type.

She did better than that. She’s now a stakes winner.

Lindz Winz ($18.60), the longest shot in a field of five, relished a sloppy, sealed track when scoring a 2 1/4-length victory over Camille C in the $100,000 Irish O’Brien, for older California-bred fillies and mares.

Advance Ticket was third, with favored Secret Cove fourth, and Sunburn last.

Lindz Winz, ridden by Edwin Maldonado, was timed in 1:15.58 for 6 1/2 furlongs.

The Irish O’Brien was scheduled for the downhill turf course, but rain forced the race to the main track, and resulted in three scratches, most notably Unzip Me, the morning-line favorite.

“We took a chance and it worked out great for us,” Abrams said.

Abrams owns Lindz Winz, a daughter of Vronsky, along with Robert Huston and the Little Red Feather Racing syndicate. The victory was her second in 11 starts. Saturday’s race was her sixth start of the meet.