Janis R. Whitham’s homebred MEA DOMINA (Dance Brightly) broke on top in
Saturday’s $150,000
Las Palmas H. (G2) and never relinquished the advantage,
leading wire to wire for a one-length triumph. The Ron McAnally-conditioned
four-year-old filly, who notched her third career stakes victory in her first
start since winning the Gamely Breeders’ Cup H. (G1) in late May, completed
eight furlongs over the firm Santa Anita turf in 1:33 2/5 under Tyler Baze.
Dismissed as the 7-2 second choice in the field of 10, Mea Domina returned
$9.40, $4.60 and $3.60 after holding 5-2 favorite Elusive Diva (Elusive Quality)
in second throughout. The bay filly established uncontested splits of :22 4/5,
:46 and 1:09 2/5 and was never seriously threatened in the stretch run. Elusive
Diva, who held the place by a neck over 7-1 Star Parade (Arg) (Parade Marshal),
paid $3.80 and $3, and show was good for $4.20. The $1 exotics gave back $17.40
(exacta), $84.10 (trifecta) and $584.50 for the 3-5-1-9 superfecta that included
Halo Ola (Arg) (Southern Halo) in fourth.
Bond Deal (Ire) (Pivotal), Dream’s (Chi) (Sam M.), Chasethegold (Touch Gold),
Aubonne (Ger) (Monsun), Pickle (GB) (Piccolo) and Bright Abundance (Quiet
American) rounded out the order of finish.
Now four for four on Santa Anita’s turf and six for seven overall on the
grass, Mea Domina won her stakes bow, the Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. last October
and has captured four of her five 2005 appearances, the only blemish coming when
fourth in April’s Wilshire H. (G3). The Kentucky-bred miss has now earned
$562,676 from a 11-6-3-0 line. She’s the first foal to race from the Grade
3-winning and Grade 1 runner-up Madame Pandit (Wild Again) and has a yearling
half-brother by Smart Strike and a weanling half-brother by Pulpit.
Oak Tree’s meet concludes Sunday and with Hollywood Park canceling turf
racing, the Las Palmas was the last graded turf race in Southern California this
year until the Monrovia H. (G3) on New Year’s Eve.