Include Me Out against Ellafitz in the Santa Margarita Stakes
The Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes has drawn a small, but competitive field with the likes of Include Me Out, Ellafitz, Miss Mittagong, and Love Theway Youare, competing over a distance of 1 1/8 miles over at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course on 17 March, 2012.
Jay Em Ess Stable owned 4-year-old filly, Include Me Out will have her work cut out along with jockey Joe Talamo, who will have to counter Ellafitz, who brings lone speed into the race, and almost always takes the race by the scruff of the neck by her awesome
front running style.
Though the Ronald W. Ellis trained filly, Include Me Out started off her 2012 campaign in positive manner, when she defeated a tough field in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes coupled with Joe Talamo. The rider is confident that, Include Me Out can catch Ellafitz
in the Santa Margarita Stakes based on the way she ran in the La Canada Stakes.
Include Me Out was length and three quarters off the lead when the leaders went 45 four last time, but Include Me Out had a grip on this as she powered home with a 4 ¼ lengths victory over the Brazilian menace, Great Hot in second and Tiz Flirtatious in
third, with the winning time of 1 minute and 41.89 seconds.
D an E Racing’s Ellaftiz on the other hand has 2 seasonal wins in as many starts this season, with the most recent win in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes over at 1 1/16 miles, and she will be looking to repeat the feat over the same venue, with slight alterations
to distance.
“Obviously, Ellafitz is the one to beat and the one to catch because she’s got that speed and she keeps on going with it,” Talamo said. “But my filly’s doing real good right now and they’ve done a great job with her.
“She’s nice and fresh, too. She hasn’t run since the La Canada on Jan. 22 and they skipped the Santa Maria (on Feb. 18, won by Ellafitz for her third straight gate-to-wire stakes win) because Ron was pointing her for this race.”
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