Vision in Gold wires Santa Maria

Vision in Gold would not be denied her first stakes win in the Santa Maria (Benoit Photos) Jay Em Ess Stable’s VISION IN GOLD (Medaglia d’Oro) took the lead out of the gate of Saturday’s $150,000 Santa Maria S. (G2) at Santa Anita Park and never relinquished the advantage as she held by a neck on the wire. Jockey Joel Rosario held just enough in reserve aboard the the Ron Ellis trainee for her to not only set the pace through fractions of :23 3/5, :47 4/5 and 1:11 3/5, but also to hold her spot on the front when confronted by Zardana (Brz) (Crimson Tide) and St Trinians (GB) (Piccolo). Zardana had tracked Vision in Gold on the outside throughout before putting in her run rounding the turn, and St Trinians closed from her rear-running position to make it three across the track at the top of the stretch. Vision in Gold was stubborn in the lane, never allowing either of her rivals to pass, and finished up the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:41 2/5 over the fast main track. Sent off the 5-1 fourth choice in the five-horse field, the dark bay lass paid $12.20, $5.20 and $3 for earning her first stakes victory. “I had a really good trip,” Rosario said. “Ron told me to let her place herself and I did. We didn’t think we’d be on the lead, but she was comfortable there, so why change it? When we passed the three-quarter pole and started down the backside, she had her ears up and she was very relaxed. At the top of the stretch, when that other horse (Zardana) came up outside of us, my filly was just waiting for competition and she finished really strong. She’s improved a lot in her last two races.” Zardana was just as stubborn as Vision in Gold, holding 4-5 favorite St Trinians by a half-length on the wire. Washington Bridge (Yankee Gentleman) crossed under the line another 4 1/4 lengths back in fourth, while Mona de Momma (Speightstown) completed the order of finish. Miss Match (Arg) (Indygo Shiner) and It Tiz (Tiznow) were both scratched.

Vision in Gold’s two prior stakes attempts resulted in fifth-place finishes
in last year’s Hollywood Oaks (G2) and Railbird S. (G3). She also finished fifth
in her maiden debut before capturing her initial win over Santa Anita’s old
synthetic track. The four-year-old wouldn’t visit the winner’s circle again
until trying Santa Anita’s new dirt surface on December 30, when she drew off by
4 1/4 lengths against optional claiming rivals. Now two-for-two on conventional
dirt surfaces, Vision in Gold pushed her career earnings to $172,480 and her
overall record reads 8-3-2-0.

“I hate to throw the name around, but she’s ‘Zenyatta-esque,'” Ellis boasted.
“I pointed her out to John Shirreffs before this filly ever raced and I said
that’s what Zenyatta must have looked like when she was that age. He just kind
of laughed, but she is that tall. I’m just hoping she at least will physically
fill out like Zenyatta did later in life.

“She’s a big, long-striding filly, and there didn’t look like there was much
speed in here. I told Joel (Rosario), if she breaks and wants to go, just let
her place herself. He did that and adjusted beautifully.

“She came from last in her last race and now she goes wire to wire. It makes
her pretty versatile. When she had those ears pricked most of the race I felt
pretty good about it. We haven’t really figured past this. We were looking at
the (Sunday’s) La Canada (G2) and it seemed like it
may be coming up the tougher of the two. We’ve got a lot of respect for Blind
Luck (Pollard’s Vision) and Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]), so we
decided to try this race and it obviously worked out.”

The Kentucky-bred was consigned to the 2008 Keeneland September Yearling Sale
by breeders Liberation Farm and Brandywine Farm, and sold to her current
connections for $360,000. Vision in Gold is out of Grade 3 runner-up Corporate
Vision (Corporate Report), who is also responsible for stakes winners Media Play
(Alphabet Soup) and National Pride (Macho Uno). Corporate Vision is a
half-sister to Puerto Rican champion Devil’s Bag Copy (Devil’s Bag) and Grade
3-placed stakes victress Rosie Dooley (Trempolino).

Others of note in this female line include Grade 1 heroine Trumpet’s Blare
(Vice Regent) and Grade 3 winners Gay Jitterbug (Northern Dancer),
Passing Vice (Vice Regent) and Raja’s Revenge (Raja Baba).