Tezzaray noses Awake at Midnyte in Jimmy Durante Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. - Tezzaray needed every stride of the stretch of Saturday’s Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar to remain unbeaten in two starts in the United States.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Tezzaray ($8.20) rallied between 7-1 Awake At Midnyte and 45-1 Toeris in the final furlong to win by a nose over an unlucky Awake At Midnyte.
Ortiz overcame a touch of trouble on the turn when he steadied Tezzaray, but had a clean run through the final quarter-mile.
“I had a good trip,” Ortiz said. “I had to steady at the three-eighths pole a few jumps. Then, I got into the clear. She was ready to run.”
Awake At Midnyte, who won her debut in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita on Oct. 31, finished a half-length in front of Toeris. Awake At Midnyte, trained by Doug O’Neill, took the lead in the final sixteenth, but could not hold off Tezzaray.
Toeris had her stakes debut in the Durante, having won a maiden special weight race at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 15 in her third start for trainer Mark Casse. Toeris was switched to trainer Dan Blacker in advance of the $103,000 Durante.
Tezzaray, the second choice in a field of 11, ran a mile on turf in 1:37.56. Tezzaray earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 69.
Helens Well, the 2-1 favorite, finished fourth, beaten about three-quarters of a length. Liam’s Dove finished fifth, followed by Travel Smart, Virulente, Miss Bellatrix, Half Past Twelve, Sparkle Blue, and Reem Zabeel.
Tezzaray races for the Slam Dunk Racing partnership and Roger Newman. A British-bred filly by the Dansili stallion Bated Breath, Tezzaray was third in maiden races in August at Newmarket and Carlisle in England before being acquired by the current ownership group and joining Miller’s stable.
Tezzaray won her American debut in a maiden special weight race at Del Mar on Nov. 4 on Breeders’ Cup week. Ortiz was aboard for that win.
Miller said Tezzaray had an uninterrupted preparation for the Durante following her recent win. Tezzaray has won 2 of 4 starts and has earned $104,997.
The Durante was Miller’s final starter in a stakes before he begins a hiatus from training on Monday. Ruben Alvarado, Miller’s longtime assistant, will take control of the barn, one of California’s leading stables.
“It’s nice to win on the way out,” Miller said.