The 16 to 1 shot Juanita goes all the way in the La Troienne Stakes
Four-year-old Michael Maker trained filly, Juanita, yet to finish worse than fourth in her seven career starts nabbed the second win of her career, when she downed the heavy favourite, Plum Pretty in the upper stretch to win the Grade 2, $327,000 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs on 4 May, 2012.
William S. and Graydon Patterson’s Juanita posted a 16 to 1 upset under Ramon Dominguez, who rode the filly for the first time, bolted through the stretch first to take down Plum Pretty and then the stubborn St. John’s River to finish 2 lengths clear of the runner up.
Sent as the 2 to 5 choice, the 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner and the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap winner, Plum Pretty never showed that she can run down either of the two as she finished third on the day, while St. John’s River who got necked out by Plum Pretty last year in the Oaks, thought it’s a clear win, only to see Juanita taking the role of Plum Pretty to torment her some more.
"Her style is to be forwardly placed and she’s been doing great," said winning trainer Mike Maker. "She ran just behind Havre De Grace last time so we gave it a shot. We were going to run in Chicago, but when they retired Havre de Grace, it made the decision easy.”
Bred in Kentucky by Padua Stables, Juanita was coming off a second place finish to, now retired, Havre de Grace in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds.
She started the year with a runner up finish in the Marie Krantz Memorial, which she lost to Cherokee Queen, on turf at Fair Grounds Race Course at 1 1/16 miles on 14 January, 2012.
It was all dirt for Juanita next up as she stayed at Fair Grounds to finish third to Havre de Grace’s stable mate, Joyful Victory in the Tiffany Lass Stakes, who downed the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 45.09 seconds.
“The favorite went to the lead and I was happy to sit right next to her,” Dominguez said.
Tags: