Take A Breath and jockey Emisael Jaramillo made it back-to-back graded stakes wins April 25 when narrowly prevailing in the $102,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares going 1 mile on turf at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Mark Glatt, Take A Breath previously won the Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) at 1 1/4 miles on turf on March 15 at Santa Anita. In previous United States starts at 1 mile, the European import had never hit the board. Jaramillo was cognizant of the distance question for Take A Breath and adjusted accordingly by laying closer to the pace than usual.
"I thought the mile might be a little short for her. That's why I had to put her in the race early," Jaramillo said.
After longshot Rosie Jeeks went to the lead and set a quarter-mile fraction of :23.72, favorite Grand Slam Smile took command down the backstretch while Take A Breath and Jaramillo settled comfortably only a few lengths back.
Grand Slam Smile went a half-mile in :48.30 and 6 furlongs in 1:12.54. At that point, Jaramillo took aim at the leader.
Take A Breath and Jaramillo collared Grand Slam Smile at the head of the stretch and then held off a late charge from May Day Ready to score by a half-length in a time of 1:35.95 on firm turf, paying $11.20 to win as the fourth choice. Grand Slam Smile and jockey William Antongeorgi III finished a half-length back of May Day Ready in third.
Glatt also trains Kentucky Derby (G1) entrant So Happy and was at Churchill Downs Saturday for the Kentucky Derby post position draw. Take A Breath, a 4-year-old filly by Bated Breath bred in Great Britain, is owned by Chivalry Thoroughbred Racing and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners.
"She's just really improving every month with Mark," Tim Cohen of Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners said. "We kind of wanted to wait a little bit but Mark said she was training so well, let's run, and here we are. I wasn't concerned about a mile at all. I actually think she is better at a mile than a mile and a quarter. Right now, she is just running so well we will just keep her going."
Cohen added Take A Breath would now move on to the May 25 Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita, which is contested at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Take A Breath was sent to Southern California from England last summer. She lost her first five starts in the U.S. before winning the Santa Ana. Her latest victory ups her overall record to 5-0-2 in 14 starts with earnings of $194,670.
