ZENYATTA STAKES

(Grade 1)

SHE’S back. Paradise Woods rolled into this year’s Kentucky Oaks in May, straight off an 11¾-length romp in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks which saw her sent off favourite in the field of 14.

The daughter of Union Rags flopped, finishing 11th after getting burned up on the lead.

Trainer Richard Mandella regrouped, gave her some time and returned her delicately, aiming her at a Grade 3 at Del Mar. That was just as bad, she wound up sixth.

Sometimes you have to just keep swinging and Mandella entered her in the Zenyatta at Santa Anita.

“I wasn’t as confident, not in her ability but the fact that she’s kind of gone south, mentally, on us,” Mandella said. “We had to get through some hard times. She responded. It was a lot of schooling. I was worried something would go wrong again, but it went right.”

With some pushing from Marty Wygod, who co-owns the filly with his wife Pam and Steven Sarkowsky, Mandella opted for the four-horse Zenyatta over one mile and a quarter furlong and Paradise Woods waltzed to a comfortable score over Faithfully.

“I have to give Marty a lot of credit. I hate to do it,” said Mandalla with a laugh. “He actually convinced me to go to the longer race. I was kind of leaning towards the sprint and just keeping my options open.”

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Paradise Woods rebounded with a front-running win, putting her back into the contention for the Distaff, against the likes of Elate and others.

“She had good excuses in her last two races. I never lost confidence in her, and (Mandella) never lost confidence in her, either,” Marty Wygod said.

“It always makes you feel good going into whatever we decide we want to do with her. She was hardly blowing, and you could see he was having difficulty pulling her up.”

AVENGE RALLIES

Flavien Prat secured his third Grade 1 stakes at Santa Anita, guiding Avenge to win the Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita’s starry Saturday for Ramona Bass and Richard Mandella.

The five-year-old mare rallied past Goldy Espony and held off Irish-bred Responsibleforlove in the 10-furlong turf stakes.

“Three Grade 1s, that’s the first time for me,” Prat said.

Avenge won the Rodeo Drive last year to top off a three-race win streak before losing three straight, including a one-length defeat behind Queen’s Trust in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

“It’s been frustrating because we couldn’t quite get her back to herself until now but, I think we do have her now and we hope we’re in as good of shape as last year,” Mandella said.

“I was impressed that she settled off the leader and that she had such a good finish.”