The Practical Joke filly finished just half a length behind the unbeaten Cavalieri in the dirt mile, delivering a standout performance
ARCADIA, California (Special to Turf Diario) – South American racing continues to make waves worldwide, and this time it was Chilean mare Richi who came oh-so-close to securing a G1 victory in the United States.
In a performance marked by generosity and class, the Practical Joke filly finished just 3/4 of a length behind the unbeaten Cavalieri (Nyquist) in the Beholder Mile Stakes, held last Saturday over the Santa Anita Park dirt mile and offering a purse of $300,500. This result added another impressive 1-2 finish for trainer Bob Baffert.
With Italian jockey Antonio Fresu aboard, Richi broke from the gate intent on leading the field, maintaining a steady advantage over her rivals while setting a good pace. She posted opening fractions of 22.56, 46.24, and 1:09.73.
Once into the stretch, the mare, owned by Haras Vendaval and Hill'n'Dale Equine Holdings Inc., hugged the rail and seemed poised to hold her ground. Cavalieri, the heavy favorite, had already been under pressure from Juan J. Hernández around the turn.
However, from the 150-meter mark to the wire, Richi began to tire after setting the pace, while her rival launched a wide bid to overtake her, winning by a mere 3/4 of a length in the exceptional time of 1:34.96, with two turns. Tarifa(Bernardini), one of last season's top fillies, finished third, 5 3/4 lengths behind.
Purchased for $900,000 at the April 2023 Ocala Breeders' Sales training sale by Speedway Stables LLC, Cavalieri is now unbeaten in four starts, having previously triumphed in the La Cañada Stakes (G3).
"We always knew she was going to be a star," said Baffert of the winner. "I'm proud of both horses. That was a real race time."
Meanwhile, Juan Hernández added: "Richi is a really good filly. I had been tracking her, and honestly, I was asking a lot from her," said Hernández. "I wanted her to accelerate. When I started my move, Richi started hers, and we advanced together. My filly found another gear in the final furlong and won the race. She's improving, and today she showed it."
At this level, Richi will be a major contender among older mares on the West Coast of the United States.
