Owner/breeders Ted and Judy Nichols were celebrating a memorable New
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Ellis admitted that Sunday’s Kalookan Queen would have been the more
conservative spot.
“I gave (the owners) an option,” Ellis revealed. “I said, ‘Hey, we can win
that race tomorrow if you want and make her a stakes winner.’ They said, ‘Let’s
go for the big time,’ so I couldn’t argue with them. She was doing great.”
Fifth through an opening quarter in :22 1/5, Teddy’s Promise improved her
position steadily on the outside. She passed the stalking California Nectar, May
Day Rose and Great Hot, and drew up to Home Sweet Aspen at the half-mile mark in
:44 3/5. The leader was unable to offer much resistance, and Teddy’s Promise
soon struck the front.
Meanwhile, Turbulent Descent didn’t get off to a particularly alert start and
was anchored at the rear of the field. The odds-on choice peeled to the far
outside, but didn’t make much headway in a lackluster effort.
“The last time that she ran, I really liked her,” Espinoza said, alluding to
Another 1 3/4 lengths adrift came Great Hot, who encountered trouble on the
Turbulent Descent, who was exiting a troubled fifth as the 7-5 favorite in
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“This was a rough trip, what can I say,” jockey David Flores said. “I had to
jump on the lead or be close, but you don’t want to rush. She made a good run at
the end, but there was a lot of traffic. When I moved out on the turn that was
my only shot. I was hoping they would slow down, but a track like this runs
pretty fast and the good horses won’t stop that easy. The horse felt great, but
it was too much to make up.”
“No (she didn’t get off that well),” trainer Mike Puype said. “She was behind
a little further (than normal) and behind all the field and had to circle
everyone and went really wide. I mean really wide. But she still didn’t kick it
in, and the track’s very fast, so it’s hard to make up that ground once you’re
in that position. She didn’t kick it in like she’s capable of, so I’ll just have
to go over her well physically and see where we’re at.”
Teddy’s Promise more than doubled her bankroll to $350,808 from her 13-5-2-1
line. The daughter of Salt Lake flashed early promise for trainer David Hofmans,
crushing state-bred maiden special weight rivals by 7 3/4 lengths at Hollywood
Park as a juvenile. Teddy’s Promise stepped up in class for the Sharp Cat
Stakes, but compromised her chances by pulling early and was eased.
After bouncing right back with a big optional claiming score, the dark bay
was sent off as the 4-5 favorite in the California Breeders’ Champion here last
December, but again faded to fourth. Few could have imagined that a year later,
she would run away with the La Brea over this same track and trip.
“It’s hard to be very confident against Turbulent Descent,” Ellis said, “but
“When this filly got on a roll a little bit, I mentioned to them (the owners)
Ellis added that drawing the outside post 9 helped her cause.
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“It is for her because she’s just lightly raced mentally,” the trainer said.
“She has never closed in behind horses yet, so that (post) was a big reason why
we ran today. The outside post really helped a filly like her. She’s just
learning really how to do things.
“We’ll just kind of regroup now. She’s shown she can run with some of the
best sprinters. We’ve got a long year.”
Teddy’s Promise was produced by the Capote mare Braids and Beads, who is
herself a three-quarter sister to Grade 3 hero and successful sire General
Meeting. Multiple Grade 2 star and influential sire Carson City is also a family
member.