RODEO DRIVE

STAKES (GRADE 1)

IN a thrilling straight battle, Juddmonte Farms’ Emollient justified her 3/1 favourtism as she edged Parranda by half a length to win the one and a quarter mile $300,000 Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes on last Saturday over the turf course a Santa Anita Park. Rusty Slipper and Irish Mission dead-heated for third, one and three-quarter lengths behind the winner.

With jockey Rosie Napravnik aboard for trainer Bill Mott, the four-year-old filly marked her first win since last year’s Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.

Wearing blinkers for the first time, Emollient emerged from back-to-back ninth-place finishes to earn a “Win and You’re In” invitation to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf over the same track next month.

Bunairgead and Victor Espinoza took the early lead with the field well bunched behind into the final turn. Moulin De Mougin and jockey Mike Smith, launching a bid from the back of the 12-horse field, made headway while wide on the turn, but slipped on the turn, unseating Smith. Both horse and rider came out unscathed from the mishap.

Emollient rallied from mid-pack to get the lead in the straight for home, but Parranda fought back, and the two battled to the wire with Emollient, on the outside, getting the advantage in the final strides.

“I had so much horse I knew I could wait until something opened up,” said Napravnik. “I was in a good position and could see where the holes were going to open up and she was really on her game today. I’m very thankful to Juddmonte and to Bill Mott to have me on her again.”

“She loves this hard surface here,” said David Lively, assistant to Mott.

“I think that’s what it is. She didn’t break really sharp and she usually gets upset if she’s in tight with horses but Rosie did a heck of a job getting her to settle. We’re here for a couple more days then we’ll be shipping back to New York. We’ll ship back for Breeders’ Cup. That’s the plan right now.”