Sitting behind what was an inexplicably hot pace in the early stages, favorite Marketing Mix rolled to the lead at the top of the stretch and won the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive by four or five lengths over Nereid. Stormy Lucy finished third in the field of 13.
Thisismystage and Let's Go Cheyenne broke well from the gate and, for some reason that I can't figure out, set extremely fast early fractions, clicking off the opening six furlongs in 23.69, 45.78 and and sprinter-like 1:09.62. At that point, the only question is how quickly the rest of the field would inhale the leaders. Turns out, it didn't take long. By the time the leaders hit the far turn they had nothing left in the tank and were easy prey for the fillies and mares charging home behind them.
With her victory in the Rodeo Drive, Marketing Mix assured herself a spot in the starting gate for the 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita on November 2nd.
Marketing Mix is a four-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro out of a Kris S. mare (Instant Thought), trained by Thomas Proctor and ridden by Garrett Gomez.
Below are the payouts, fractions and internal splits for the Rodeo Drive Stakes.
WIN: 11-Marketing Mix
PLACE: 13-Nereid
SHOW: 3-Stormy Lucy
$1.00 EXACTA: (11/13) $20.30
$1.00 TRIFECTA: (11/13/3) $208.20
$0.10 SUPERFECTA: (11/13/3/7) $316.05
$2.00 DAILY DOUBLE: (7/11) $24.00
$1.00 PICK 3: (10/11/10) $57.50
Fractions:
1/4: 23.69
1/2: 45.78
3/4: 1:09.62
Mile: 1:35.00
Finish: 1:59.50
Internal Splits:
1/4: 23.69
1/2: 22.09
3/4: 23.84
Mile: 25.38
Finish: 24.20