Spanish Queen an odds-on winner of American Oaks

Brice Blanc was all smiles after guiding Spanish Queen to an American Oaks victory (Benoit Photo)

Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule), the 7-10 favorite in a field of six
three-year-old fillies in Saturday’s $400,250

American Oaks (G1) at Santa Anita, wore down long-time pacesetter Feathered
(Indian Charlie) inside the final furlong to win the turf fixture by three parts
of a length under Brice Blanc.

A ground-saving third through the opening mile as Feathered set fractions of
:23 4/5, :47 3/5, 1:12 1/5 and 1:36 3/5, Spanish Queen was shifted out for a
three-wide bid entering the stretch. After dispensing with pace presser Mrs
McDougal (Medaglia d’Oro), Spanish Queen got past Feathered to give trainer
Richard Baltas a welcome 54th birthday present.

“This is a very special horse and I just got lucky to get her. This is the
best birthday present I could ever have,” Baltas said.

A homebred racing for the partnership of Harry Bederian, Harout Kamberian,
and Hagop (Jack) Nakkashian, Spanish Queen returned $3.40 after completing 1 1/4
miles on firm turf in 2:01 4/5.

“I was loaded on the backstretch,” Blanc revealed. “She looks like she’s on
the bridle all the time but she does it in a way that she’s actually relaxed;
it’s hard to explain. She’s on the bridle but waiting for me to ask her to pick
it up. She does it in a way that doesn’t affect her breathing and she does it
nicely; that’s why she’s able to accelerate like she does the second part of the
race.

“She’s just eating up the ground and getting better with every race. She keeps
improving and she loves her job. She has started trusting me more so I can do a
little more with her. I think she’s learning how to be a good racehorse.”

Spanish Queen has now won three of four starts, with her only loss by a neck
in the April 4 Providencia (G3). She preceded that run with a 5 3/4-length
maiden win over a mile against California-breds, and rebounded from her
Providencia setback with a last-out victory in the May 3 Honeymoon (G2) by 1 1/2
lengths. She’s now earned $423,600.