The unusual show payoffs were the result of an inordinate amount being bet on Love At Noon, who was making her first start since finishing fourth in the El Encino Stakes (gr. II) on Jan. 20. Prior to that, the 4-year-old daughter of Afternoon Deelites finished third in the Dec. 29 La Brea Stakes (gr. I), and second in both the Princess (gr. II) and Dogwood (gr. III) stakes last spring. The Bob Baffert trainee set a Churchill Downs track record for 6 1/2 furlongs when winning an allowance race on Kentucky Derby Day last year.
Heavy show pool wagering on 2-5 favorite Love At Noon in Santa Anita's feature race Wednesday resulted in exorbitant show payouts for the top three finishers in the six-furlong sprint when Mike Pegram's filly finished off the board.Filigree, in for an $80,000 tag, went three-wide around the turn and beat Madame Pietra by half a length in optional claiming allowance race for older fillies and mares. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Filigree covered six furlongs in 1:09.65 and paid $18, $9, and $17.20. Madame Pietra returned $8.40 and $23, while Farah Love was another half-length back in third and paid $36.40 to show. The victory, worth $42,120, increased Filigree's career earnings to $472,317, with 10 wins in 38 starts.
