Book Review wins La Brea in final strides

Last updated: 12/26/12 5:54 PM

Book Review enjoyed an ideal trip in the La Brea
(Cecilia Gustafson/Horsephotos.com)

My Miss Aurelia’s attempt to garner late support for champion three-year-old
filly honors hit a roadblock when she could only be third in Wednesday’s Grade
1, $300,000
La Brea
on opening of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet. The beneficiary of a hot,
contested pace, Gary and Mary West’s homebred Book Review instead posted the
mild upset, nabbing Reneesgotzip in the final yards of the seven-furlong test.

One of several West Stable runners who were transferred from trainer Chad
Brown to Bob Baffert for Southern California campaigns, Book Review tracked five
to six lengths behind the dueling Reneesgotzip, Nechez Dawn and My Miss Aurelia
down the backside. Reneesgotzip was able to maintain a head advantage through
splits of :22 2/5 and :44, turned back Nechez Dawn’s bid between rivals, and
continued to have the upper hand over 2-5 favorite My Miss Aurelia entering the
stretch.

Reneesgotzip showed no quit passing the eighth pole as My Miss Aurelia tried
to get by while brushing with her game rival. However, the early exertions from
both fillies ultimately threw the race in the direction of Book Review, who
finished full of run outside that tiring pair under Rafael Bejarano. Book
Review’s late surge was timed perfectly as she denied Reneesgotzip by a neck in
a final time of 1:22 2/5 over a track labeled wet-fast.

The 9-2 second choice in a field of seven three-year-old fillies, Book Review
paid $11.60, $5.40 and $2.50. Reneesgotzip completed the exacta by a neck over
My Miss Aurelia, with outsider Candrea another three parts of a length farther
back in fourth. Nechez Dawn, Creditcardroulette and Mamma Kimbo completed the
order of finish.

A maiden winner in her third career start, on May 20 at Belmont Park, Book
Review later won an allowance at Saratoga and then made her stakes debut in the
Grade 1 Test on August 25. Seventh after a poor start in that seven-furlong
heat, she rebounded to take the Charles Town Oaks by 1 3/4 lengths and the
overnight Imperial Gesture at Belmont by 4 1/2 lengths. In her most recent
outing, the chestnut finished a dull fifth at odds of 9-5 in the Grade 1 Gazelle
at Aqueduct on November 24. Book Review’s record now stands at 10-5-2-1,
$594,955.

The Kentucky-bred Book Review, a daughter of Giant’s Causeway, was produced
by the Distorted Humor mare Clever Babe, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Irish
Smoke and stakes winner King Puma. Book Review’s third dam was Grade 3 winner
Added Elegance, whose offspring included Grade 2 queen Added Gold and Grade 3
vixen Added Asset.

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