LANDALUCE STAKES

Next to last at the quarter pole, Right There fired big through the stretch under Kent Desormeaux to take Sunday’s $125,000 Landaluce Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by 4 ¾ lengths as the Kentucky-bred daughter of Eskendereya got 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.39.

Trained by Kent’s brother, Keith Desormeaux, Right There was second, beaten 3 ½ lengths as the favorite in her 4 ½ furlong maiden special weight debut May 21. Owned by Big Chief Racing, LLC, she was off at 5-1 in a field of seven and paid $13.40, $5.60 and $3.40.

“I think Keith needs a lot of credit for this win,” said Kent Desormeaux. “He told me, ‘Break well, but don’t chase them for five eighths of a mile. Get here on her feet and keep her happy.’ Keith trains them to have a big closing kick and she ran like she does in the morning. I think she’s showing her true talent because she’s not supposed to be winning at five eighths. She wants to go two turns and she has a big, long stride.”

With the winner’s share of $75,000, Right There, whom Desormeaux purchased for $55,000 last September at Keeneland, hiked her earnings to $86,200.

“There’s no doubt she learned something from her first race,” said Keith Desormeaux. “…Besides handicapping angles, all the things that a trainer looks for, confidence, good, strong finishing works, strong appetite, good coat color, she had it all coming into today.

“I didn’t look like Kent was asking her to be in the position that she was and when you see riders on the lead start asking their horses at the quarter pole and we’re just sitting there, I was pretty confident.”

Second early, Alien Giant overtook Miss Gridley a furlong out but was immediately tackled by the winner and had to settle for second money, finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of Sambamzajammin. Ridden by Fernando Perez, Alien Giant, who defeated the winner in breaking her maiden, was off at 3-1 and paid $4.00 and $3.20.

The narrow second choice in the wagering at 3-1, Sambamzajammin was ridden by Joe Talamo and paid $3.20 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.68, 45.46 and 58.75.