From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 26, 2022)—Unbeaten in three tries down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course, Nick Alexander’s homebred Connie Swingle seeks her third consecutive win and her second straight hillside turf stakes victory as she heads a field of nine fillies and mares aged three and up in Saturday’s $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hill.
The Senator Ken Maddy honors the late California state senator who represented California’s Central Valley for nearly 30 years and was a tremendous supporter of Thoroughbred racing throughout his career in public office.
A gutty neck winner versus sophomore fillies in open company in the ungraded Unzip Me Stakes down the hill Oct. 1, Connie Swingle, a 3-year-old California-bred filly by Grazen out of the Sky Mesa mare Sky Marni, handled older competition going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar two starts back on Sept. 2, drawing clear by a half length under regular rider Kyle Frey.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Connie Swingle, a two-time stakes winner, will face open company for the third time in a row on Saturday. Remarkably consistent, she’s been lights-out in two hillside turf tries, taking an open first condition allowance by 2 ¾ lengths on May 7 and a classified allowance down the hill on June 11 by 5 ½ lengths.
A virtual gate to wire winner of both of her hillside starts, “Connie,” who is 9-6-2-1 overall, will likely be winging on the front end as she tries to enhance her bankroll of $411,564.
Northern California Yearling Sale graduate Act of Serendipity is also entered in the race. She is by Misremembered, out of the Forest Wildcat mare Albany County, was bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, is owned by Rancho San Roberto & Roger Fessler and is trained by Genaro Vallejo. She has two wins in six starts, earnings of $76,926 and is coming off a Sept. 24 optional claiming win.
A solid 1 ½ length allowance winner in her only hillside try on Sept. 30, Freedom Flyer, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Constitution out of the Carson City mare Rebuke, looms dangerous with Juan Hernandez back aboard for Leonard Powell.
Owned by Marsha Naify, Freedom Flyer, who is 18-3-5-3 overall, seeks her first stakes win.
THE SENATOR KEN MADDY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT
- Royal Address—Joe Bravo—126
- Stella Noir—Ryan Curatolo—122
- She’s So Nice—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
- Act of Serendipity—Edgar Payeras—118
- Freedom Flyer—Juan Hernandez—124
- Amy C—Umberto Rispoli—124
- Lexington Honor—Ramon Vazquez—118
- Connie Swingle—Kyle Frey—122
- Lady Jae—Hector Berrios—122
First post time for a 10-race card that will include seven stakes is at 1 p.m.