With a late burst of speed, D P Racing's Prize Exhibit swept her competition to win the $100,000 Megahertz Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 16 by 1 1/4 lengths.
Video: Megahertz S. (G3T)
Breaking from post 2 under jockey Mike Smith, the 5-year-old daughter of Showcasing raced off the pace on the rail in the one-mile test for fillies and mares on the turf, while longshot Poster Girl went for the early lead in her U.S. debut.
Poster Girl set fractions of :23.72, :47.93, and 1:12.29 for six furlongs, as Into The Mystic closely stalked on the outside. Post-time favorite Tiz a Kiss and first-time U.S. starter Kenriya chased from the back of the pack.
When the seven-horse field entered the stretch, Smith moved Prize Exhibit out to the middle of the track and asked her to step up and go around Jeremy's Legacy, Poster Girl, and Do the Dance. The Jim Cassidy-trainee responded and flew by the competition in deep stretch to hit the wire first in 1:36.56. Jeremy's Legacy got a head in front of Into The Mystic for second.
"I was able to get her to relax early and she can be on the rank side," Smith said. "Sometimes, going into a race where there’s not much pace, everyone thinks the same thing and it worked out that way today. We took advantage.
"I got a clear trip today. I’ve been handcuffed the last few times I’ve been on her, with traffic in front of me and never had a clear path. I got her out in the clear today and it was great."
Kenriya, Do the Dance, Poster Girl, and Tiz a Kiss completed the order of finish.
Prize Exhibit paid $8.80, $4.40, and $3.40 across the board. Jeremy's Legacy returned $9 and $4.60, and Into The Mystic was worth $3.40.
"She finally got the trip that she needed," owner Deron Pearson said. "Mike rode her perfectly. I think she got the ground that she wanted and it worked out well. I was a little concerned the pace was too slow, but she’s got the best kick of any of these horses in the race and she showed it today."
The dark bay mare boasts a record of seven wins and five placings from 31 starts. She entered the Megahertz off an eighth in the grade 1 Matriarch Stakes Dec. 4 behind Miss Temple City.
Bred in Great Britain by Mrs. R. F. Johnson Houghton, Prize Exhibit was purchased by Jamie Osborne at the 2013 Tattersalls October yearling sale from consignor Hillwood Stud for $46,899. She raced in Europe in 2014, winning twice, for then owners Michael Buckley, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and M.V. Magnier.
Her first start in the U.S., and her first for her current owners, was a fourth-place effort in 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) behind Lady Eli. As a 3-year-old, she won the Senorita Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita and the San Clemente Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar. She won Monrovia Stakes (G3T) as a 4-year-old last January.
