Greenwich Village Finds a Home on the Lawn, Takes Pasadena in a Thriller

[Wandering Eyes]

Greenwich Village (Quality Road) with Juan Hernandez aboard timed things just right to get his head down at the wire in a tight finish in Sunday's Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita.

Sent off the 8-5 choice after a first-time turf score in the 6 1/2 furlong Baffle Stakes at this venue on Jan. 25, the bay exited post 2 in good order and soon set up camp in a ground-saving fourth as Medici (Into Mischief) led Brigante (More Than Ready) and Army Man (Battalion Runner) through an opening quarter in :22.82. Still content to survey the 7-1 leader through a half in :46.38, Greenwich Village was asked for more and responded as he swung out four to five paths wide turning for home.

Taking dead aim at the game pacesetter down the lane, Greenwich Village closed with every stride and put his head down just in time to edge Medici with a fast-closing Iriseach (Ubettabelieveit {Ire}) grabbing third.

A debut winner in a 6 1/2-furlong test at Los Alamitos on Dec. 6, the Bob Baffert trainee showed good early speed but wilted to finish fifth–beaten 15 lengths by winner So Happy (Runhappy)–in the GII San Vicente Stakes over seven panels on Jan. 10.

Greenwich Village, the third foal out of a multiple group winning mare in Australia, Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), has a juvenile brother by Charlatan and a yearling brother by Not This Time.

 

PASADENA S., $102,000, Santa Anita, 2-22, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.72, fm.
1–GREENWICH VILLAGE, 120, c, 3, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Houtzen (Aus) (MGSW-Aus, GSP-Eng, $1,599,872), by I Am Invincible (Aus)
                2nd Dam: Set To Unleash (Aus), by Reset (Aus)
                3rd Dam: Leash (Aus), by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
($350,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Bashor Racing, LLC, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, LLC and Donovan, Catherine; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $151,000.
2–Medici, 120, c, 3, Into Mischief–Avenge, by War Front. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Bass II, Perry R. and Bass, Ramona S.; B-Bass Stables, LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $20,000.
3–Iriseach (Ire), 120, c, 3, Ubettabelieveit (Ire)–Max's Dandy (Ire), by Dandy Man (Ire). (15,000gns 2yo '25 TAOJN). O-Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Strand Beach, LLC and Nentwig, Michael; B-Hyde Park Stud (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $12,000.
Margins: NO, NK, 3/4. Odds: 1.70, 7.10, 8.20.
Also Ran: Caro Buono (Fr), Later Than Planned (Ire), Unrivaled Time, Army Man, Brigante, Smoovin Saturday. Scratched: Bust Out, Sammy Davis.
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