Travieza surprises in Unzip Me Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Travieza won her stakes debut in Saturday’s $86,115 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Travieza ($44.40) was always near the front and scooted clear of the 11-filly chasing pack as the field crossed from the hillside portion of the turf course to the main turf oval.

Ms Bad Behavior, the even-money favorite, closed well to finish second by 1 1/4 lengths. Travieza ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:12.42 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

Spiced Perfection, the winner of two stakes for California-bred fillies, closed along the inside to finish third. Hey Negrita was fourth, followed by Out of The Flames, True Royalty, Pulpit Rider, Pursuing The Dream, Sappho, Suspicious Spouse, Steph Being Steph, and May Girl.

Travieza has won 2 of 11 starts and earned $154,425. She won a maiden race on the hillside turf course in February in her third start and was beaten in seven subsequent races. During that losing streak, Travieza was second or third in six consecutive races before finishing fifth in an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at Del Mar on Sept. 1.

By Into Mischief, Travieza is owned by W.C. Racing and Greg Lewis and trained by Doug O’Neill.