Theonewewaitedfor continues to improve with Landaluce win

ARCADIA, Calif. - Theonewewaitedfor won her stakes debut in Saturday’s $123,345 Landaluce Stakes at Santa Anita, giving the Kentucky-based stallion Creative Cause his first stakes win from his first crop to race.

Theonewewaitedfor ($8) closed from third in a field of six to win the stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs by 2 3/4 lengths over Miss Southern Miss, the 7-10 favorite. The Landaluce Stakes was the first stakes of the year for 2-year-old fillies in Southern California.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Theonewewaitedfor was timed in 1:03.82. She is unbeaten in two starts, having won a maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs May 26. The California-bred filly has won both of her races against open company.

“I thought she’d improve,” trainer Mike Harrington said. “In her first race, she wasn’t all out. She’s been training well since her last race.”

Miss Southern Miss, a maiden-race winner June 9, finished 5 1/4 lengths in front of 59-1 Demigoddess, a maiden who was supplemented to the Landaluce on Wednesday for $2,500. Demigoddess earned $15,000 for finishing third. She closed from last in the stretch.

Tap It All, a Tapizar filly purchased for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida March Sale of 2-year-olds in-training, finished fourth, followed by Cioppino Pasadino and Love a Honeybadger.

There was a notable scratch in the final minutes before post. Chalon, an impressive maiden-race winner June 23, was scratched because of unsoundness, track officials said. She was 2-1 at the time of withdrawal.

The Landaluce Stakes was the first stakes win for Harrington since Better Bet won the Golden State Juvenile in November 2013.

Theonewewaitedfor has earned $118,680 for owner and breeder Heinz Steinmann. Harrington said the filly will be pointed for stakes at Del Mar, but was unsure whether she would start in a race for California-breds – such as the $100,000 CTBA Stakes on July 29 - or the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes against open company Aug. 6.

Creative Cause, who stands at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky, won 4 of 10 starts and earned $1,039,000. He won the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita as a 2-year-old in 2011 and was third in the Preakness Stakes in 2012.