Friday’s
2ND race at Santa Anita Park was supposed to be the start of big things for
Cozmic One (Bernardini), the highly touted first foal of supermare Zenyatta, but
it wasn’t to be as Tried and True (Medaglia d’Oro) got up for the half-length
win.
Attack (Quality Road), making his third start in this spot, took command soon
after the start and established splits of :23 3/5, :48 2/5 and 1:12 4/5 while
tracked by Volume (Blame) as well as Tried and True to his outside. Meanwhile,
jockey Victor Espinoza allowed Cozmic One to settle in last, just like his
late-running dam.
Tried and True put in his move three wide rounding the turn and Cozmic One
was beginning his run after being more than 10 lengths back on the backstretch.
The latter colt flattened out in the lane and was unable to pass a single rival
as Tried and True grabbed the lead in the stretch. The eventual winner held off
Volume to stop the clock in 1:37 for a mile on the fast dirt in the $57,258
maiden special weight.
Tried and True was making his second start in this spot after running sixth
in his January 31 bow. In fact, every runner but Cozmic One had prior experience
under his girth coming into Friday’s contest.
Cozmic One never showed any speed in the race, running one-paced in last
throughout. Trained by John Shirreffs, who also conditioned his immensely
popular dam, the Kentucky-bred dark bay wound up 8 1/2 lengths behind Tried and
True on the finish line after saving ground throughout.
Zenyatta was nearly undefeated in her career, racking up three championships
and Horse of the Year honors while going 19-for-20. Her only loss came in her
career finale, when the massive mare finished a head second while trying to
become just the second horse to score back-to-back victories in the Breeders’
Cup Classic (G1).
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com