Antonio Fresu climbed off Revera with a wide smile, planting a grateful pat on the filly’s neck as the Del Mar crowd responded with warm applause. It was a moment of redemption and quiet satisfaction — a day later than planned due to weather, but perfectly timed for a filly who had been waiting to show just how much she had grown. And in the Desi Arnaz Stakes, she did exactly that.
Revera broke sharply from post four in the field of six, settling into an ideal stalking rhythm just outside overwhelming favourite Himika. Up front, Bourbon and Ginger set the early tempo, but the picture changed quickly once the field rounded the far turn. With Bourbon and Ginger fading, the stage was set for a two-filly duel.
Down the Del Mar stretch, Himika and Revera matched strides, neither willing to yield. But inside the final sixteenth, Fresu asked, Revera responded, and the Sadler-trained filly surged past to win by three-quarters of a length — a polished, confident victory that signalled a stronger and more seasoned youngster than the one beaten by Himika last month.
Himika held second, finishing more than four lengths ahead of Cosmic Heat, who recovered admirably after a sluggish and outward break to rally for third.
Speaking after the race, Fresu praised the filly’s maturity: “She has always been a nice filly. Today she stepped forward and moved. She looked fantastic and gave me a lovely feeling. She likes to stalk outside and make one move. Today I could finally let her do that, and she showed her class.”
Revera’s connections believed the shift in scheduling — and more importantly, in post position — had made a meaningful difference. With Saturday’s card cancelled due to weather, the Desi Arnaz Stakes was redrawn and moved to Sunday. Revera, previously stuck on the rail, suddenly found herself in a far more favourable spot.
“With the redraw it really helped getting out of the one hole,” said assistant trainer Juan Leyva. “Last time we had to go early. Today we could sit where we wanted, and she travelled comfortably. That made all the difference.”
Owned by Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing Stables, U Racing Stables LLC, Et. Al., Revera now boasts a record of 4-2-2-0 and earnings of $142,274 — and, more importantly, her first stakes triumph.
The race was completed in splits of 22.80, 45.94, 1:10.65, with a final time of 1:23.77 for seven furlongs.
Live racing resumes on Friday with an eight-race card beginning at 12:30 p.m.
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