Megahertz Win Ties a Record

With her popular win in the $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap on Sunday, Megahertz accomplished something done only once before in the long history of Santa Anita.

The diminutive mare joined Del Mar Dennis as the only thoroughbreds to win the same stakes race three years in a row when she unleashed her usual powerful stretch run to overtake 7-1 shot Nadeszhda and five others.

Owned and bred by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, Del Mar Dennis won the San Bernardino Handicap, which is now called the Tokyo City Handicap, from 1994 to 1996 for trainer Paco Gonzalez.

The 3-5 favorite, Megahertz, who was about 21 lengths behind the pacesetter after the first three-quarters of a mile Sunday, now has 12 wins in 30 starts. Eight of her victories have come on the Santa Anita grass for owner Michael Bello and trainer Bobby Frankel.

Greeted with a warm ovation when she returned to the winner’s circle, Megahertz was ridden by Alex Solis and ran the 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.76 while prevailing by three-quarters of a length.

“She is so special,” Solis said. “She broke sharp, but she has to be back there.

“You can’t fight her. She just says, ‘I’ll let them go and I’ll catch them later.’ I’ve never ridden a horse that has that kind of kick.”