ALBANY, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2018) — Northern California Yearling Sale graduate Lakerball won the $101,345 Surfer Girl Stakes on Oct. 8 at Santa Anita but instead of following the second- and third-place finishers to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, she shipped to Golden Gate Fields to dominate Saturday’s $75,225 Pike Place Dancer Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Lakerball was bred by Rancho de Los Aviadores and sold at the Northern California Yearling Sale for $1,000. She has three wins in five starts and earnings of $129,480.
“This filly is a little feisty, and she gives you a lot of surprises,” said Leandro Mora, assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill. “We have to be careful to handle her surprises, so that’s why we came here.”
At 33-1, Lakerball was the longest shot in the Surfer Girl Stakes, and she led throughout and held on by a nose over Lady Prancealot. Summering, the 3-5 favorite, finished another 1½ lengths back in third after winning the $102,070 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.
In Saturday’s 1-mile grass race, Lakerball went off as the even-money favorite against five Golden Gate Fields-based opponents and sat comfortably in third place as Brahms Command set an honest pace.
Lakerball surged outside of the leaders on the second turn, gained the lead in early stretch and powered to a 5-length victory. Brahms Command held on for second in her first start on turf and past six furlongs.
“The plan was to play it by ear,” jockey Alonso Quinonez said. “If she broke well, go to the lead, but if others wanted to go, that would be OK. She doesn’t have to have the lead. She didn’t really want to go at first, so I let her drop back. She finished very strong.”
With Quinonez clad in the Los Angeles Lakers’ colors — purple and gold — Lakerball finished in 1:38.57 for her third win in five lifetime starts. She began in maiden-claiming dirt sprints, winning her second start by 8½ lengths. So capturing two stakes is gravy for her ownership group and her handlers.
“She’s a little filly, but she has a big heart,” Mora said. “She’s got the heart of a Great Dane in dog life. We’re very happy with her, and it will be fun to see how far she can go.”