La Prevoyante

Safari Queen continued her winnings ways in the United States (Jim Lisa Photos)

Arindel Farm’s SAFARI QUEEN (Arg) (Lode) took home a gate-to-wire win as the
3-5 favorite in the $200,000
La
Prevoyante H. (G3) at Calder on
Saturday. The 12-furlong event was moved to the main track from the turf and
subsequently downgraded from Grade 2 status pending review by the American
Graded Stakes Committee.

Despite severe weather and transferring from turf to dirt, the
Todd Pletcher-trained four-year-old set
the pace over the sloppy, sealed dirt track under a hand ride by John Velazquez, posting splits of :26
2/5, :53, 1:20 3/5 and 2:12 2/5 before sweeping under the wire in 2:38 2/5. The mare
rewarded her backers with $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10 while keeping her perfect record at
the distance and upping her mark to 12-7-2-0, $380,489.

“She’s two-for-two going a mile-and-a-half,” Pletcher said. “Today’s race opens more options,
although we’ll still focus on turf stakes.”

Barancella (Fr) (Acatenango) settled off the pace behind the leaders but ran
out of real estate and crossed under the wire 5 1/4 lengths in second,
giving investors $2.60 and $2.10 while rounding out the $6.60 exacta at 5-2. Private Betty (Lost Soldier) launched her move three-wide early on the turn
and faded quickly behind an impenetrable wall to earn a respectable, well-placed
third. At 14-1, Private Betty gave back $2.10 and completed the $26.20 trifecta. Doryphar
(Gone West) finished out the $59.20 superfecta (1-4-3-2) and was followed by Wait It Out (Swain [Ire]). Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun) was scratched.