The Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana lane will take on the world after demolishing a field of Australia's best sprinters in Saturday's $2,450,000 Group 1 Aquis TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
With Mark Zahra in the saddle, Santa Ana Lane displayed a brilliant turn of foot to come from well back to win running away by three and a half lengths from Osborne Bulls (Street Cry) who nosed Sunlight out for second place. (images Steve Hart)
It was the fifth Group 1 for the 6yo son of Lope De Vega (IRE) following the MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, BRC Stradbroke Handicap, SAJC Goodwood Handicap and last spring the VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Flemington last spring.
He advances his record to 10 wins, 1 second and 5 thirds from 33 starts with earnings of $5,069,711.
"I was worried about the track but I knew that the horse was as good as I have had him and when he is like that he can do that so it's exciting going forward,' Anthony Freedman said.
"We will obviously give Hong Kong serious thought and if things are still good we will head on to Europe.
"He's clearly gone to a huge level now. I've sort of worked him out. I know how to train him and that is the key with horses, the trainer works out how to train them and you get the best out of them.
"Keep him fresh, big gaps between runs and he just keeps stepping up to the mark. That's (Group 1) number five so we just keep finding good races for him now and hope that he can keep doing it."
Zahra won the Darley Classic on the gelding but regular rider Ben Melham was going to be on him until a recent fall.
"It's a bit bitter sweet for Ben Melham who fell off the other day," Zahra said.
"Take the opportunities when they come and it's just great to win again on a big day."
"It was an amazing victory. He was a bit cranky in the gates. I was a bit slow away but I got him on the back of Champagne Cuddles and just down the side I gave him a click to track up and just had to wait and wait and I got around the bend. I had them covered 300m out.
"I think he would have won like that no matter what. He is just flying. Anthony and Sam and the team have him airborne."
An $80,000 purchase by Flemington Bloodstock Agency from the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Santa Ana Lane was bred by Patinack Farm.
He is the second foal of the winning Fastnet Rock mare Fast Fleet a three-quarter sister to the stakes-placed Strategy (Danehill) and a half-sister to Group III Waikato Guineas winner Blimey O'Reilly (O'Reilly) and Listed winner Flag Officer (Excites).
Fast Fleet has a 3yo filly by Kuroshio named Black Tide who was purchased by Proven thoroughbred/Steven O'Dea Racing for $60,000 at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling sale and won first time out at Ipswich in January.
The next foal is a 2yo filly by Toorak Toff who was purchased by Next Level Bloodstock $27,000 at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Fast Fleet missed to Dubawi's English 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder (IRE) in 2016 and had a filly by Tapit's triple Grade 1 winner Frosted last year.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock was sent to last year's Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Aquis Farm for $200,000 and was covered by Zoustar last spring.
Santa Ana Lane has blitzed a star-studded field to win the G1 TJ Smith Stakes at The @Championshipsrr@royalrandwick@atc_races. pic.twitter.com/dIynTfx7yZ
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 6, 2019
