Stevens rides Factorofwon to Black Pearl triumph

ARCADIA, Calif. - Factorofwon won her stakes debut in Sunday’s $79,190 Black Pearl Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the Santa Anita hillside turf course in the first time she was ridden by Hall of Famer Gary Stevens.

Stevens and trainer Mark Glatt conferred earlier on Sunday and decided that the best approach was to not send Factorofwon to the front or take her to the back of the field, but wait and see how the race unfolded.

Stevens had Factorofwon in the middle of a field of seven, pursuing a fast pace, before she took a more prominent position when the field crossed from the hillside to the main turf course.

“That was a fun ride,” Stevens said. “She acted like she knew what I wanted.”

Factorofwon ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:13.47.

Factorofwon ($15.40) finished a half-length in front of Special Purpose, a 5-2 chance who had her first start in the United States on Sunday. Navajo Dreamer, a 17-1 outsider, finished third after setting a quick pace of 21.41 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.95 for a half-mile.

Sappho closed from last to finish fourth, followed by Cute Knows Cute, Nice Ice, and Ahimsa, the 8-5 favorite, who was near the front to the final furlong before fading rapidly.

Factorofwon has won 2 of 8 starts and earned $91,825 for Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal. A filly by The Factor, Factorofwon was purchased for $150,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in April 2017.

Factorofwon won a maiden race on the hillside turf course last October in her debut on the surface. She was sixth, third, and fifth in allowance races with $75,000 claiming options on the hillside turf course in her first three starts this year.