Las Flores

Behaving Badly was on her best behavior in the Las Flores (Benoit Photo)

Patti and Hal Earnhardt III’s BEHAVING BADLY (Pioneering) dominated her
competition on Saturday in the $107,000
Las Flores H. (G3)
at Santa Anita and in the process annexed her third consecutive victory. The five-year-old mare vied for the early
lead, dueling five-wide before running two furlongs in :21 2/5 and a half-mile
in :44 with Spirit to Spare (Pole Position) to her inside. Awesome Lady (Bianconi),
who had been rating in third, moved four wide in the turn to take up second, but
was no match for Behaving Badly, who went on to win the six-furlong contest by 4
3/4 lengths in 1:09 over a fast track.

“We like to win like that,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “She runs like she
looks. We don’t know (what’s next). I think I’ll probably run her in the Humana
Distaff ([G1] at Churchill Downs) on Derby Day (May 6).”

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, Behaving Badly streaked home beneath jockey
Victor Espinoza to return $2.40,
$2.20 and $2.10, leading a $1 exacta of $7.80 and $1 trifecta that returned
$40.30 (6-5-1). Awesome Lady gave back $5.60 and $2.10 at 20-1 while Spirit to
Spare held on for third to pay $2.10 at 24-1. Vaca City Flyer (Michael’s Flyer),
Mazella (Mazel Trick) and Galactic Cat (Forest Wildcat) rounded out the order of
finish.

“That was easy,” Espinoza said. “She was just cruising around. She tries
hard, this old mare and I didn’t want to knock her out for this race. I made
sure I just galloped around and won the race by two or three lengths. That would
be enough.”