Rashmi entered the $100,000 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park as the class of the five-horse field for fillies and mares, but she lacked a recent start, having been sidelined for more than a year.
No matter. Bounding straight to the lead, she cruised on the front end under Kazushi Kimura, outrunning Miss Artois by 2 3/4 lengths. Antifona, who, besides Rashmi, was the only other stakes winner in the field, settled for the show.
Rashmi raced a mile on firm turf in 1:34.73 after establishing comfortable splits of :23.53, :47.73, and 1:11.36. She paid $2.80 to win.
Jonathan Thomas, who trains Rashmi for owner/breeder George Strawbridge Jr. of Augustin Stables, said he was very confident in Rashmi in her return based on her stellar training. "So if she didn't win, we were going to be a little disappointed," he said.
Drawn on the inside, the intention always was to go to the lead. "You're doing so well, and you drew the one hole—there's no point making it complicated," Thomas said.
He said the May 25 Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita is an upcoming target.
Rashmi is a 5-year-old chestnut mare by Oscar Performance and one of two stakes winners already produced by the Lonhro mare Ponytail. She is 5-1-2 in 10 starts with earnings of $234,736.
Oscar Performance, among the top 10 sires this year, stands for $60,000 at Mill Ridge Farm in Kentucky.
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