Behaving Badly dominates Santa Monica
Patti and Hal Earnhardt’s BEHAVING BADLY (Pioneering) broke sharply from the
gate and ran her competition off their feet en route to an ultra-impressive win
in the $250,000
Santa Monica H. (G1) at Santa Anita on Sunday. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Victor Espinoza, the five-year-old mare set an opening split of :22 for the quarter and it was over from there, as
she easily widened her advantage through fractions of :44 and 1:08 3/5 before
completing the seven-furlong affair in 1:21 4/5. The margin of victory was 4 1/2
lengths, and the 6-5 favorite gave back $4.60, $3.80 and $2.40, while keying the
$22.10 exacta ($1), $57.50 trifecta ($1) and $301.20 superfecta (8-2-3-4) ($1).
“She went very fast,” Espinoza said. “She really ran impressively. For some
reason, every time I ride her, she really tries her best (Espinoza is
four-for-four on her).”
“I told (Espinoza) to let her drag you to the lead,” Baffert said. “When I
saw 22 (seconds for the opening quarter mile), I knew we were okay. She was just
cruising.”
Miss Terrible (Arg) (Numerous) sat well off the pace early before putting in
a solid late run to finish a clear second at 10-1. The seven-year-old was worth
$6.80 and $3.20. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Leave Me Alone (Bold Badgett),
the 2-1 second choice, who made a
little run at the winner turning for home but could do no better than third.
Show was worth $2.40. Nossa Cancao (Brz) (Fast Gold) rallied from last to grab fourth and complete
the superfecta at 20-1. Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band) was next and
trailed by Allswellthatnswell (Perfect Mandate), Awesome Lady (Bianconi), and Alphabet
Kisses (Alphabet Soup), while Reforest (Forestry) was withdrawn.
Behaving Badly earned her second graded tally, having previously taken the
Rancho Bernardo H. (G3), and moved her lifetime mark to 7-5-1-0 with a bankroll
of $347,200.
Baffert is not considering stretching her out to longer distances.
“I think that’s (seven furlongs) as far as she wants to go with this caliber
of horses. I’m just glad she ran today like she’s been working.”
Bred in the Empire State by Thomas/Lakin, the winner was bought by her
present owner for
$150,000 at the 2003 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale. She
was produced from the unraced Timeleighness (Sir Raleigh), who is also the dam
of Maid of the Mist S. victress Lavish Numbers (Polish Numbers) and multiple
stakes-placed Light up the Town. Behaving Badly has an unnamed
two-year-old half-brother by Precise End.