Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Nakano Much the Best in Connie Ann Stakes

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (September 3, 2012) – After three straight near-misses in stakes events, including a third in the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap in early July, Thoroughbred Futures Racing’s Nakano broke through for the first stakes win of her career at Calder Casino & Race Course on Monday when drawing off to a 2 ¼-length victory in the $55,000 Connie Ann Stakes. Originally scheduled for turf, the five-furlong race was moved to the main track following a morning of localized rain.

“I have all the confidence in her today because I knew going in that I’ve got the best horse in the race,” winning rider Luis Saez said following the victory.


Alert from the gate under Saez, Nakano settled briefly in fifth-place through the early stages of the Connie Ann before going on the offensive to whittle away at the lead held by pacesetter Becausei’mworthit who was rocketed to the front through opening splits of :21.57 and :45.73.

Becausei’mworthit retained a thinning lead through mid-stretch before Nakano powered past that rival with relative ease and was a clear winner through the wire, holding sway over her late-running stablemates Indulgence and Leopard Rock while stopping the timer in :58.88.

“I got good position today, no trouble at all, and I just waited for early in the stretch before I asked my filly to really run,” Saez said. “And when I did, I had a lot of horse. She won this race very easy.”

Trained by Marty Wolfson, Nakano paid $3.80, $3.00, and $2.60 for the win. Indulgence returned $3.40 and $2.60 for second, while Leopard Rock brought back $4.20 when completing the all-Wolfson trifecta.

With her victory in the Connie Ann Stakes, Nakano is now a three-time winner from 12 career starts with $148,702 in earnings.

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