DANUSKA’S MY GIRL BATTLES BACK TO TAKE SANTA ANITA ALLOWANCE FEATURE

By Mike Willman —

DANUSKA’S MY GIRL
Benoit Photo

DANUSKA’S MY GIRL BATTLES BACK TO TAKE $59,000 SANTA ANITA ALLOWANCE FEATURE BY THREE QUARTERS OF A LENGTH AS FRANCO & HOLLENDORFER TEAM FOR MILE WIN IN 1:38.81

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 11, 2019)—In an extra game effort, Jerry Hollendorfer’s Danuska’s My Girl battled back to deny heavily favored Mo See Cal what seemed like a sure win in Friday’s $59,000 Santa Anita allowance feature, as she prevailed by three quarters of a length while getting a flat mile under Geovanni Franco in 1:38.81.

Mo See Cal, who broke from post position two in a field of six fillies and mares, broke sharply and was on the early lead under Mike Smith, but was taken back to third around the Club House turn when both the winner and Just a Smidge engaged in a head and head tussle for the lead to her outside.

Heading up the backside, Mo See Cal was able to shift outside the dueling leaders and assumed command five sixteenths of a mile out, however Danuska’s My Girl re-rallied at the rail a furlong from home and proved best on the day.

“We just kept trying,” said Franco, who posted his second consecutive win on the day. “She’s got a big heart and that’s why she won.”

Now unbeaten in two starts with Franco, including a three length first condition allowance score on Nov. 22, “Danuska” was off at 5-1 and paid $12.00, $4.00 and $2.60.

“It looked like she was beat, but she just kept fighting,” said Hollendorfer.

Owned by Bad Boy Racing, Inc., Danuska’s My Girl, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Shackleford, out of the Dayjur mare Amaday, picked up her third win from 12 starts and with the winner’s share of $35,400, she increased her earnings to $138,810.

Trained by Peter Miller, Mo See Cal had won her last three races in a row. Off as the 3-5 favorite, she finished 3 ¼ lengths in front of Jazaalah and paid $2.20 and $2.10.

Jazaalah, with Kent Desormeaux up, was off at 10-1 and paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.26, 46.78, 1:11.39 and 1:24.76.

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.

ABOUT SANTA ANITA PARK
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.