Entered after her first graded stakes win in her previous effort, Avenge successfully jumped up to the Grade 1 level with a front-running victory in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
Entered after her first graded stakes win in her previous effort, Avenge successfully jumped up to the Grade 1 level with a front-running victory in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
With the win in the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race to the Filly and Mare Turf, Avenge will enter that race at Santa Anita on a three-race win streak for trainer Richard Mandella.
Avenge broke well in the 1 ¼-mile race and led at every call, cruising through a half-mile in :47.44 and six furlongs in 1:11.40 under Flavien Prat. The 4-year-old daughter of War Front was shadowed throughout by favorite Zipessa but when challenged coming off the far turn, Avenge found more and sailed home to win by three-quarters of a length. Picking up third was Frenzified, who earned her first Grade 1 placing. – Frank Angst