Robert Scarborough’s MAURALAKANA (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]) was scheduled to be
retired to the breeding shed after Saturday’s $750,000
Beverly
D. S. (G1), but after a 1 1/4-length win under Kent Desormeaux, the
Christophe Clement trainee will now begin preparing for the October 24 Breeders’
Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. The bay five-year-old earned an
automatic berth in that 11-furlong grass event when finishing the 1 3/16-mile
Beverly D. in 1:55 on the firm turf.
Dreaming of Anna (Rahy) broke on top from her rail post and proceeded to lead
the way around the course, setting splits of :24 1/5, :48 3/5 and 1:12 3/5 while
in hand for jockey Garrett Gomez. All the while, Mauralakana was content to run
along on the outside while in fourth. Entering the stretch, Dreaming of Anna was
stubbornly holding on to the lead while Precious Kitten (Catienus) tried to get
past, but in the end it was Mauralakana who managed to overtake the front runner
and draw off to earn her first Grade 1 victory.
“I was pretty confident in her turn of foot, so I wasn’t worried about the
ones in front of me,” Desormeaux said. “I just didn’t want anyone coming from
behind to get me.”
Sent off the near 5-2 second choice, Mauralakana paid $6.80, $4 and $3.40
while starting the $65.40 exacta, $1,425.80 trifecta and $7,616.40 superfecta
(4-8-7-1). Communique (Smart Strike) split horses and closed with a rush to
take down second, giving back $9 and $6 at 12-1 for holding Toque de Queda (GB)
(Danehill [GB]) to third by three parts of a length. Sent off the 53-1 longest
shot in the field, Toque de Queda was worth $13.
Dreaming of Anna was another half-length back in fourth and followed by
Precious Kitten, Cicerole (Fr) (Barathea [Ire]), Meribel (Peaks and Valleys),
Ciao (Lear Fan) and Rosinka (Ire) (Soviet Star).
Mauralakana has now won five-of-six races in 2008, with her other scores
coming in the New York S. (G2), Sheepshead Bay H. (G2), The Very One H. (G3) and
Mairzy Doates H. The bay’s only loss this season came as a runner-up effort in
the Orchid H. (G3), and she also owns placings in the 2006 Queen Elizabeth II
Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1) and 2005 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere – Grand
Criterium (Fr-G1). The mare has improved her career mark to 26-11-3-3 and has
now banked $1,449,512 in lifetime earnings.
Bred by S.A.R.L. Classic Breeding and M. Hassan in France, Mauralakana
brought $900,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale. She is out of the
winning Jimkana (Double Bed [Fr]), who also produced listed winner Petit Calva
(Desert King). Jimkana is herself a full sister to multiple highweight and Group
1 winner Jim and Tonic (Fr).