Willa B Awesome showed Reneesgotzip to win the Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita Park
When all eyes were on Reneesgotzip and Eden’s Moon to comfortably take the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita Park on 31 March, 2012, it was Willa B Awesome, who out of nowhere surprised everyone an caught her rivals at the wire to take the
1 1/16 mile test on dirt with the odds of 13 to 1.
The upset was a huge one as Walther Solis trained 3-year-old filly, Willa B Awesome, took her revenge from Eden’s Moon and Reneesgotzip in the Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes, where the latter finished first and the former second while Willa B Awesome was just
off the money in fourth.
In the process Willa B Awesome handed her trainer the only grade 1 victory of his career. Under jockey Martin Pedroza, Willa B Awesome was pegged back, coming off the pace in the 1 1/16 mile long race as she stalked the readers, and when Pedroza gave a pass
to Willa B Awesome she shot through the track and overhauled Reneesgotzip to take the race.
“This is our first grade I win and it’s a special day for the family," said 30-year-old Alex Solis. "My father (Walther) is in Guatemala today for my sister’s (Maria) wedding. Right now I don’t know if he knows we won, but I’m sure he’ll find out soon on
Twitter. We knew our filly could close and Martin gave her the perfect ride. I’m just glad she got up.”
The California bred daughter of Awesome Gambler, out of mare Cause I’m Tricky by Nineeleven, Willa B Awesome posted her second victory of the season after three starts in the new campaign.
She kicked off the season with a win in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes, where she had to contend with the ever so determined, Killer Graces, and it came down to a real rally in the end, but Willa B Awesome edged past her rival to post a magnificent victory
in the end.
She downed the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 41.73 seconds at Santa Anita on 28 January, 2012.
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