From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 9, 2022)—Off at 76-1, Northern California-based Power Surge electrified eight rivals as she defeated favored Connie Swingle by a head in Saturday’s $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes at Santa Anita, providing California-based stallion Straight Fire with a sweep of the day’s Cal-bred stakes. Trained by Blaine Wright and ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, front-running Power Surge got 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.87.
The Evening Jewel, for 3-year-old fillies, is part of the lucrative Golden State Series. Sponsored by the CTBA, the Golden State Series is for eligible California-bred or sired runners.
Breaking from post seven, Power Surge went straight to the lead, with Connie Swingle looming ominously to her outside at the top of the lane. With many in the Derby Day crowd expecting the longshot to fold, Power Surge dug and refused to be beaten in a victory that was anything but flukish, may’ve been aided by the fact the favorite had been idle since Sept. 3.
“Blaine texted me and said that she was an honest filly, she just tries hard,” said Gonzalez, who notched his second win in a row on the day. “Last race, she really didn’t have a place to run, so he told me to ride her with confidence and she was going to be alright. And man, he sure was right.
“She was so game. As soon as the other horse got next to her, she pinned her ears and tried so hard all the way down the lane.”
A non-threatening sixth in a first condition allowance going 5 ½ furlongs on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields March 11 and in her first stakes appearance, Power Surge paid $155.20, $47.20 and $12.20.
Owned by Jungle Racing, LLC, KMN Racing, LLC, Legacy Ranch, Inc., LNJ Foxwoods, Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Rigney Racing, LLC and Jason Litt, Power Surge is out of the Thunder Gulch mare Strikes of Thunder and was bred in California by Straight Fire, LLC.
“Blaine believed in her,” said trainer Mark Rheinford, who saddled the winner. “He said she got in a lot of trouble and never really got a chance in her last race up north. She really responded today. She came down here on Wednesday and I got to gallop her and school her and she was ready to go.”
In her first-ever stakes appearance, Power Surge picked up $90,000, running her earnings to $126,590 while improving her overall race record to 5-2-1-1.
Idle since blitzing statebreds going six furlongs in the General Portion Stakes on Sept. 3 at Del Mar, the Phil D’Amato-trained Connie Swingle was off as the 8-5 favorite with Kyle Frey and paid $4.20 and $3.00 while finishing 7 ½ lengths in front of Big Novel.
Ridden by John Velazquez, Big Novel was the second choice at 5-2 and paid $2.60 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.82, 44.51 and 1:10.03.