Include Me Out defeated race favourite Ellafitz in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita
Include Me Out left a lasting impression on the crowds as she bolted past race favourite Ellafitz in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes on a rainy track at Santa Anita Park on 17th March, 2012.
The four-year-old filly entered the race with odds of 13 to 10 paired with jockey Joe Talamo. She led the race into the final two furlongs and comfortably crossed the wire, stealing the competition.
Love Theway Youare finished 3 ¾ lengths after her acquiring an impressive finished in second place while Miss Mittagong finished third. Race favourite Ellafitz finished in fourth place, which led to some disappointment from the punters.
Include Me Out finished the 1 mile and 1 furlong course in 1 minute and 47.62 seconds.
Include Me Out opened up and gathered pace in upper stretch. She maintained consistency and a steady course on a long hold to the wire.
The daughter of Include, out of Don’t Trick Her, comes from a lineage of good racers and Joe Talamo believes that she has inherited their talent. He stated that:
“I think my horse handled the track really well today, she’s by Include, who I think liked the mud. I figured, like daughter, like father, hopefully. She handled it well and I was loaded the whole way."
Trained by Ronald W. Ellis for the Jay Em Ess Stable, Include Me Out is showing what she is really made of. She acquired a first place finish in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on 23rd January, 2012 at Santa Anita Park.
Bob Baffert trained Ellafitz was expected to excel but she fell short of the expectations. Her jockey Martin Garcia expressed concern by stating that "I guess she just didn’t like the track because she is better than she ran today. It wasn’t her day.”
Ellafitz has an impressive racing record. This defeat will serve as a learning experience as the five-year-old mare has plenty of potential. She finished first in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Stakes held at Santa Anita on 19th February where she defeated
Miss Mittagong by 1 ¼ length.
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