From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 11, 2014)—Longshot California-bred Uzziel took full advantage of her early speed and coasted to a stunning 42-1 front-end upset in Friday’s $75,000 Santa Paula Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, getting 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.19 while providing Tyler Baze with his third win on the afternoon.
Trained by Mike Puype and owned by her breeders, James and Tammy McKenney, Uzziel, a California-bred daughter of Harlington, won by a comfortable 2 ¼ lengths while besting eight rivals and providing the McKenney’s with their first-ever stakes victory.
“This is our first-ever stakes win,” said James McKenney. “We’ve been breeding horses for 10 years now and we’ve never really had much luck at Santa Anita. You couldn’t believe how excited we are. We’ve got a full sister to this filly who’s a yearling and we’ve got the mare (Pretti Woman, by Lord At War) in Florida to be bred back to Harlington.”
Second-longest shot in the field, Uzziel set fractions of 21.78, 44.48 and 1:10.14. She paid $86.20, $29.40 and $15.60.
“I wanted her to break strong and show everyone I meant business and then see what they were going to do,” said Baze. “When I didn’t get pressure from the outside, I just let her run. I wasn’t taking hold from then on. I let her do her thing today.”
D’ya Knowwhatimean, with Victor Espinoza up, broke from post two and was hustled down the backside, was third turning for home and overhauled Midnight Dream and Martin Garcia late to finish second by a head.
Off at 12-1, D’ya Knowwhatimean paid $12.20 and $8.20.
Midnight Dream show good early speed, was a close third, 1 ½ lengths off the winner leaving the three furlong pole and was a menacing second three sixteenths out but could never get on terms and finished third, 1 ½ lengths in front of Satirical and Mike Smith.
Midnight Dream paid $8.80 to show.
Off at 6-5, heavily favored Taste Like Candy, with Rafael Bejarano up, was mid-pack early and never a factor while wide-out around the turn and through the lane.
No one correctly tabbed all six winners in the Pick Six, resulting in a carryover into Saturday of $54,472. Saturday’s total Pick Six pool is expected to approach $400,000. First post for a nine-race card Saturday is 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.
For Uzziel’s pedigree, click http://www.pedigreequery.com/uzziel2