WAR FRONT’s blueblooded daughter Teena Ella scored a first stakes victory Saturday evening at Santa Anita with a victory in the Senorita Stakes (G3).
Racing on the Santa Anita downhill turf course going 6 ½ furlongs, she tracked the leader a few paths wide. She moved in a path in the stretch as she rolled up to the leader and made it clear she was going to fight for the win as the field entered the final furlong. Teena Ella never had a large lead but was far enough ahead to win by a neck.
“She showed a lot of heart because they hooked her, and she could have given up and didn’t,” said trainer Richard Mandella. “Edwin rode her really well for only being acquainted for two minutes. I think she’ll go further now on the grass, I think she will go on, but as long as I can do this, I’ll do this.”
It was the second stakes top three finish for the Spendthrift Farm homebred, who also finished second by just half a length in the Listed Angels Flight Stakes in her last start.
Teena Ella is the third foal out of four-time champion Beholder, who herself is a half-sister to multiple champion sire Into Mischief and Grade I winner Mendelssohn.
Beholder is the fourth stakes producer out of Broodmare of the Year Leslie’s Lady with the stakes winners under her daughters including Scotland Yard and Harry’s Holiday in addition to multiple graded stakes placed Victory Kingdom.
Teena Ella was the second stakes winner in three days for WAR FRONT after Annapolis won the Opening Verse at Churchill Downs on Thursday.