Blind Luck probably will have her moment Monday when she is expected
to be named champion three-year-old filly at the Eclipse Awards. On
Sunday, however, the spotlight belonged to Always a Princess.
Arnold Zetcher’s Always a Princess opened a huge lead on Blind Luck
entering the stretch and held plenty left in reserve to hold off the
2010 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner to take the $150,000 El Encino Stakes
(G2) at Santa Anita Park.
Making her eighth career start, Always a Princess readily engaged
Champagne d’Oro in a speed duel on the outside as the duo spurted away
from three other four-year-old fillies. Meanwhile, Blind Luck, making
her season debut, raced more than nine lengths off the pace in last
after six furlongs in 1:08.72.
Entering the stretch, Always a Princess found another gear under
Rafael Bejarano while multiple Grade 1 winner Champagne d’Oro flattened
out.
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