In the spring, Morplay Racing's Rich Mendez was sitting in the airport with Jose D'Angelo asking what the plans were for their and Qatar Racing's speedy 3-year-old filly, Shisospicy. D'Angelo confidently said the end-of-the-year goal was the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).
The goal was bold, given no 3-year-old filly had ever won the $1 million race, but the daughter of Mitole made the decision look like a no-brainer as she blitzed her older rivals and defeated males with ease by 2 1/2 lengths at Del Mar Nov. 1.
"I was very confident in her since day one, she was special since day one," D'Angelo said. "We wanted to use her speed, which comes naturally to her."
That speed was too much to handle as she opened a clear advantage beneath Irad Ortiz Jr. into the far turn through fractions of :21.75 and :43.86. Entering the stretch, she showed no sign of stopping as she cruised to the wire with a final 5-furlong time of :55.24.
"The plan was to let her be where she wanted to be," Ortiz said. "She broke so good, and after that, it made everything easier. I had a lot of horse turning for home and never felt anyone was close to me. I kept waiting and no one was able to get close. That was the key."
Shisospicy paid $12.60 to win. Ag Bullet, who played the role of stalker Saturday while a few lengths back, finished second to hit the board in the race for a second straight year. Deep-closing Khaadem finished third.
The victory was a dream come true for D'Angelo, a native of Venezuela. Successful in his home country, he moved to the United States in 2019 dreaming of being on a stage like the Breeders' Cup.
"It was always was the ultimate goal," D'Angelo said. "I came from Venezuela, we watch Breeders' Cup like a fan. We pray and work hard all year to be in the Kentucky Derby or Breeders' Cup. We did it. Now we are here, not like a fan. It feels amazing, I can't describe it."
That feeling got even more indescribable when, just about three minutes after giving those comments to BloodHorse, D'Angelo and Ortiz teamed up to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) with Leon King Stable and Michael and Julia Iavarone's Bentornato.
The feeling was also hard to describe for Mendez, a prominent music mogul through his company Rich Records. He compared the feeling to reaching the top of the billboard charts or winning a Grammy.
READ: BloodHorse Interview: Morplay Racing's Rich Mendez
"That's an amazing experience, but (winning the Breeders' Cup) is extra special," Mendez said. "To do it here with my family and a special horse like Shisospicy and a team like Jose D'Angelo has been amazing."
Shisospicy is entered in Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale Nov. 3, consigned as Hip 147. Mendez said "we'll see" when asked about whether they still plan to sell her. The filly's win Saturday was her sixth in nine career starts for earnings of $2,090,270.
Bred in Kentucky by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Shisospicy is the first grade 1 winner for 2019 champion male sprinter and third-crop sire Mitole, who won the 2019 Breeders' Cup Sprint. The stallion will stand the 2026 season at Spendthrift Farm for a $10,000 fee. She is out of the winning Into Mischief mare Mischief Galore.
Jockey Colin Keane eased She's Quality on the backstretch out of an abundance of caution, according to a statement from the Breeders' Cup. She walked onto the equine ambulance and was transported to the Southern California Equine Foundation hospital. As of 1:44 pm PT, she was back at her barn and being monitored.
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