Anne's Beauty, a 2-year-old daughter of Artie Schiller, came from off the pace to nip odds-on favorite Nina Fever by a head in Woodbine's $149,047 Glorious Song Stakes Nov. 14 (VIDEO).
Ridden by David Clark, Anne's Beauty ended a four-race winning streak for Nina Fever while going off as a 14-1 outsider in the field of six juvenile fillies. She completed the seven-furlong Polytrack test in 1:22.64.
Anne's Beauty provided her freshman sire with his first victory as a stallion when she broke her maiden in her most recent start by 2 1/4 lengths Aug. 27 at 6 1/2 furlongs over Woodbine's Polytrack. She debuted a month earlier with a good third on the Woodbine turf going seven furlongs.
Paul Attard trains the winning Kentucky-bred bay filly for owner Robert Smithen. Bred by Richard Forbush and Doug Oliver, Anne's Beauty is out of the Sea Wall mare Lucky Streak and cost $30,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in September 2009.
Nina Fever, ridden by Jeffrey Sanchez, and Street Prize tussled on the lead through an opening quarter of :22.59 before Nina Fever took control with a sizzling half-mile clip of :44.91. Meanwhile, Anne's Beauty worked her way into a stalking position along the inside in fourth before angling out for a wide bid late on the turn. Nina Fever surely paid for that early speed duel when the fast-coming Anne's Beauty challenged her on the outside approaching mid-stretch.
Anne's Beauty inched ahead at the furlong marker, but Nina Fever fought back gamely along the inside and made it interesting all the way to the wire.
Nina Fever, the 120-pound top weight, was a clear second by 8 3/4 lengths over Fun Filled, the second choice who edged Where Did She Go for third by one length. Street Prize and Athenamore completed the order.
Anne's Beauty was part of the post parade in last month's Mazarine Stakes (Can-III), but never got the chance to participate in the 1 1/16-mile race.
"Last time, in the Mazarine, they had to scratch her at the gate. She was acting up," said Attard, who is a son of Sid Attard. "She got a lot of gate schooling and a lot of paddock schooling. She showed she was much more professional."
Attard said he's excited about another route try for Anne's Beauty.
"She's very versatile. Wait and see her go two turns," Attard said.
The second-longest shot on the board, Anne's Beauty paid $30.20, $7.80 and $3.60 and headed a $108.10 exacta while getting three pounds from Nina Fever. The 4-5 choice, returning $3 and $2.40, has now won five of eight starts in 2010 for trainer and part-owner Wesley Ward. Pin Oak Stable's Fun Filled, a debut winner over maidens last month, was $2.50 to show.
Smart Sting was a stewards' scratch.
