After being limited to minor awards in four consecutive graded stakes, Mondego earned a breakthrough victory for trainer Michael McCarthy Feb. 14 in the $101,500 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) for older going 1 1/4 miles on the downhill turf at Santa Anita Park.
With Emisael Jaramillo aboard for the first time, Mondego enjoyed an ideal trip stalking the pace while saving ground on the rail. Mondego was swung out for the stretch drive and grinded his way to the front to prevail by 1 length over 47-1 longshot Flashiest. Truly Quality finished another head back in third and was followed by Stay Hot.
Grade 1 winner Gold Phoenix, the even-money favorite, never got untracked in the late going and finished seventh of eight in his 8-year-old debut.
Mondego ($21.20) won in a time of 2:00.06 following fractions of :24.10, :48.11, 1:12.90, and 1:36.45.
"I thought Emisael rode him wonderfully today," McCarthy said. "He worked him this week and I thought the horse worked great."
McCarthy has won the last three stakes run at Santa Anita. On Feb. 8, McCarthy won both the Las Virgenes Stakes with Meaning and the Clockers' Corner Stakes with Yellow Card, who also had Jaramillo aboard.
A 6-year-old gelding by Lope de Vega , Cheyenne Stable's Mondego was bred in Great Britain by Car Colston Hall Stud. He now has a 4-1-3 record in 19 starts for earnings of $407,047.
