Spring Style Upsets Robert J. Frankel Stakes

by Bodog Racebook | Jan 3 2011

After a relatively disappointing 2010, Spring Style kicked off her 6-year-old campaign with a lucrative upset win in the $150,000 Gr. 2 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (formerly the San Gorgonio Handicap) at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Jan. 1. A small field of five was reduced to four after the scratch of Éclair de Lune, and a severe lack of pace set up a thrilling finish between Spring Style and the 3-10 race favorite, Harmonious.

Powerofvoodoo, ridden by Edwin Maldonado-Alicea, took the early lead and set a pedestrian pace. Spring Style, with Garrett Gomez aboard, kept tabs on the leader in second while Go Forth North and David Flores carved out a ground-saving path in third. Meanwhile, Harmonious and Joel Rosario trailed the field on the outside.

Into the stretch, Spring Style reeled in Powerofvoodoo while Harmonious and Go Forth North made their moves: Harmonious on the outside and Go Forth North on the inside. But Spring Style was full of run and was able to hold off both challengers: Harmonious by a nose and Go Forth North by 1 ¼ lengths. The winning time was a slow 1:51.08 over a firm track.

The winner's share of $90,000 boosts Spring Style's career earnings to $245,477, a stellar start to the year for the Ben Cecil trainee, who did not have a single graded stakes victory in 2010 despite four attempts, including the Gr. 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 7 (finishing well back in fourth) and the Gr. 2 John C. Mabee Handicap over the same track on Aug. 15 (finishing seventh). A daughter of Pivotal, Spring Style has now won two in a row and is a career 5-1-2 from 16 starts.

Harmonious, meanwhile, earned $30,000 for her second-place finish and boosted her career earnings to $534,420 for owners Martin, Emily and Pam Wygod. Trained by John Shirreffs, Harmonious was looking to redeem a disappointing 10th place finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5. The 4-year-old Dynaformer filly is now 4-2-0 from eight career starts.

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