El Encino

Girl Warrior (inside) held off favored A. P. Adventure in the El Encino (Benoit Photo)

Anthony Speelman’s GIRL WARRIOR (Elusive Quality) took advantage of a huge
opening on the rail to gain the lead in midstretch, and then held off a
charging A. P. Adventure (A.P. Indy) to win the $150,000
El Encino S. (G2) at
Santa Anita by a head on Sunday. Rating off the pace through early splits of :23
1/5, :47 and 1:10 3/5, the chestnut filly began to be urged by Victor Espinoza,
and she responded in a big way. The Neil Drysdale trainee finished up 1 1/16
fast miles in 1:42 3/5 in earning her first graded tally. The 4-1 shot paid
$10.80, $3.40 and $2.60 while keying a $10.50 exacta ($1), $39.20
trifecta ($1) and $122.20 superfecta ($1).

A. P. Adventure rallied wide entering the lane and fell just short at 3-5.
The filly gave back $2.40 and $2.10 for her efforts. Pacesetter Tarlow (Stormin Fever)
fought valiantly but had no answer for the top pair, ultimately settling for the
show worth $2.80 at 7-1. Penny’s Fortune (Storm Cat) rounded out the superfecta
at 7-1 and was trailed by Red Top (Ire) (Fasliyev), A Song In A Minor (Real
Quiet) and Shake Off (A.P. Indy). Elusive Diva (Elusive Quality) was withdrawn.

Girl Warrior moved her mark to 8-3-0-1 with earnings of $148,416 in her
initial stakes venture. The four-year-old was bred in the Bluegrass State by
Shadwell Farm LLC, and fetched a bid of $120,000 at the 2002 Keeneland September
Yearling Sale.