Alexander’s Becca Taylor in Evening Jewel

From Santa Anita Publicity

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 31, 2021)–Unbeaten in three starts, Nick Alexander’s homebred Becca Taylor makes her stakes debut as she heads a field of nine sophomore fillies going 6 ½ furlongs in Saturday’s $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Evening Jewel is part of the lucrative Golden State Series which is sponsored by the CTBA and is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs versus statebreds on Dec. 13 at Los Alamitos, Becca Taylor has shown ample grit in rallying from off the pace in all three of her wins.  An impressive 1 ¼ length allowance winner going six furlongs on turf Jan. 18, Becca Taylor’s most recent win came on Feb. 21, when she battled head and head late to prevail by a neck going six furlongs on the main track.

Ridden in her last two starts by apprentice Jessica Pyfer, “Becca” will be ridden for the first time by leading man Flavien Prat on Saturday.  By the multiple graded stakes winning Old Topper, out of the General Meeting mare Lady Sax, Becca Taylor earned a solid 74 Beyer Speed figure in her most recent win.

Mark Cohen’s homebred Pray for My Owner had her connections giving thanks when she blazed to a 4 ¼ length Cal-bred maiden win going six furlongs on March 7.  Third in her 5 ½ furlong debut Nov. 8 at Del Mar, Pray for My Owner showed marked improvement in her maiden tally, earning a 76 Beyer.  Trained by Mark Glatt, Pray for My Owner, who is by Kentucky-based Temple City and is out of the Hard Spun mare Lanie Britt, will be handled by regular rider Tyler Baze.

THE $150,000 EVENING JEWEL STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 12    Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

  1. Governor Goteven–Tiago Pereira–124
  2. I’m So Anna–Umberto Rispoli–124
  3. Fi Fi Pharoah–Mike Smith–120
  4. Maybe I Will–Abel Cedillo–122
  5. Becca Taylor–Flavien Prat–122
  6. Dylans Wild Cat–Mario Gutierrez–120
  7. Big Clare–Juan Hernandez–120
  8. Pawnee–John Velazquez–120
  9. Pray for My Owner–Tyler Baze–120

Special early first post time on Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day, this Saturday, is at 12 noon.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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