Van Dyke's patience pays off with Photo Call in Rodeo Drive

ARCADIA, Calif. - A months-long plan to start Photo Call in Saturday’s $301,250 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita worked to perfection when the Irish-bred filly overcame a touch of trouble to win the Grade 1 turf race for fillies and mares.

Trainer Graham Motion was quick to credit jockey Drayden Van Dyke for his tactics through the stretch.

“Drayden gave her a great ride,” Motion said. “He’s a patient rider.”

Van Dyke had Photo Call on the rail for the first mile of the race at 1 1/4 miles. Van Dyke had to wait with Photo Call in early stretch before racing room developed between Fanticola and Stormy Lucy. Once clear, Photo Call quickly reached the front.

Photo Call ($19.40) was timed in 2:00.76, winning her second consecutive stakes. She won the Grade 3 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park on Aug. 29, well after the plan to try the Rodeo Drive was reached between Motion and owner Juliet Cooper of Ireland.

“I’ve got to give the owners credit,” Motion said. “This has been our plan since mid-summer.”

The win gave Photo Call an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31, a race that Motion said was likely for the 4-year-old filly.

Photo Call finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of Elektrum, who closed from ninth of 10 to finish second. Stormy Lucy, a 24-1 outsider who raced near the pace and led with a furlong to go, finished third, followed by pacesetter Fanticola, Sharla Rae, Queen of the Sand, Star Act, Hard Not to Like, Lady Pimpernel, and Famous Alice.

Photo Call, by Galileo, has won 4 of 13 starts and earned $339,562. The Rodeo Drive was her second start in a Grade 1; she was last of 10 in the Just a Game Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Belmont Park in June.

Photo Call began her career in Ireland, where she won a maiden race at Fairyhouse in June 2014, in her third start. She joined Motion’s stable in late summer of 2014 and was third in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante Handicap at Gulfstream Park last December and second in the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park in May.

The Grade 3 Violet was Photo Call’s first stakes win, and led to the start in the Rodeo Drive.