Merribelle Stable’s Didia was in charge throughout the Oct. 7 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, kicking clear in upper stretch for an unchallenged 1 3/4-length win, “with plenty left in the tank,” as track announcer Frank Mirahmadi remarked.
Left unsaid but undoubtedly implied in that observation is that Didia should have no problem wheeling back in top form for the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), also at Santa Anita, a race to which she earned a fees-paid berth with today’s win as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.
Jockey Vincent Cheminaud rode the even-money favorite like the best horse, racing midpack early behind opening fractions of :24.50 and :48.75 set by Turnerloose , then inching up to within a few lengths down the backside and around the far turn before hitting the gas into the straight, when he opened by two lengths with no challengers keeping up. Cheminaud maintained that advantage to the wire, stopping the timer in 1:59.79 for 1 1/4 miles over firm turf.
Bring on the @BreedersCup for DIDIA! 🇦🇷
The Argentine-bred mare will tackle the likes of WARM HEART, WIN MARILYN #ウインマリリン and maybe even INSPIRAL in the Filly & Mare Turf after her G2 Rodeo Drive win for @IgnacioCorreas and @VCheminaud #WAYI #競馬pic.twitter.com/BJrEyggUt0
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) October 8, 2023
The highly regarded 3-year-old Anisette ran hard through the lane to get second by a neck over Juncture , though neither ever really threatened the winner. Closing Remarks , who pressed the early pace, held on for fourth.
Cheminaud said he felt a break from racing since the June 9 New York Stakes (G1) helped her cause today. The Argentine-bred daughter of Orpen out of the grade 1-placed Brazilian mare Delambre (BRZ) had won all four of her starts since coming to the U.S. before the New York.
“It’s a good filly and she deserves to win a grade 1 for the future,” Cheminaud said of Didia.
Cheminaud added: “This is the best filly in this race. The pace just needs to be good but when she relaxes like that it’s easy.”
Assuming everything goes to plan, a return mount would give the French-born Chaminaud his first Breeders’ Cup appearance. Last year the former steeplechase jockey was named to ride Bran in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) only to be scratched the day before the race.
Unlike his rider, trainer Ignacio Correas IV’s Breeders’ Cup form might be limited but is significant, having trained another Argentinian import, Blue Prize , to a win in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita.
Didia paid $4.20 to win while boosting her career earnings to $772,109 from a record of 9-2-0 in 13 starts. She was a multiple group 1 winner in Argentina.
Orpen was a group 1 winner for Aidan O’Brien before a successful career at stud in Ireland, Australia, and, later South America. His 67 graded/group winners included 12 champions in eight countries. Orpen died in 2021 at age 25.
Video: Rodeo Drive S. (G2T)
Leave feedback about this