Santa Anita: Mizdirection goes all out to win Las Cienegas

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mizdirection won her fourth consecutive stakes in Saturday’s $100,000 Las Cienegas, catching stablemate Schiaparelli in the last sixteenth of a mile to give trainer Mike Puype a sweep of the exacta.

The heavily favored Mizdirection ($2.80) led for the first furlong and was second as the field continued down the hill, stalking 9-2 Schiaparelli. Trailing Schiaparelli by two lengths with a furlong to go, Mizdirection was fully extended to win the race over about 6 1/2 furlong on the hillside turf course by a half-length. Ridden by David Flores, Mizdirection was timed in 1:12.61.

“She broke really sharp and ran perfectly,” Puype said. “The other filly ran lights out. I felt at one point in the stretch (Mizdirection) wouldn’t get there. She always shows up. She’s really honest. It was hard to separate them at the wire. It was a big race for both.”

Mizdirection’s winning streak began in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint against males last November. Earlier this year, she won two Grade 2 stakes on turf here – the Monrovia on the hillside turf course and the Buena Vista over a mile.

Schiaparelli, who appeared to jump a shadow in deep stretch, finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of Purim’s Dancer, who was followed by Bench Glory and Givine in the field of five fillies and mares. The $1 Puype-trained exacta paid $3.50.

Mizdirection races for a partnership led by Bill Strauss and television sports commentator Jim Rome. A 5-year-old mare by Mizzen Mast, Mizdirection was so heavily favored in the Las Cienegas that she attracted $462,037 of the $520,841 bet to show, leading to a minus show pool of $89,189.

Mizdirection has won 10 of 15 starts and $1,154,621. She is likely to make her next start in the $500,000 Just a Game Stakes over a mile on turf at Belmont Park on June 8.

• Jubliant Girl won her first stakes, and the third race of her four-race career, in Saturday’s $71,150 Runway Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course.

Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Jubliant Girl ($5.60) was third on the hillside, took the lead in early stretch, and won by 1 1/2 lengths over 5-1 Wednesday. Upbeat Mood, who set an early pace of 22.44 and 44.84 seconds, finished third in the field of five.

Jubliant Girl was timed in 1:12.89 for about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. Owned by CRK Stables and trained by John Sadler, Jubliant Girl has earned $107,067. Sadler said the filly will be pointed for the $100,000 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park on May 11.