Proposed Wins El Encino Stakes

With a decisive win in the $150,000 El Encino Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita, Proposed completed a big weekend for the stallion Benchmark.

Raced and bred by owners Pam and Marty Wygod, Benchmark is the sire of Brother Derek, who upset Stevie Wonderboy in the $147,000 San Rafael Stakes on Saturday. He also is the father of the Wygods’ Proposed, who made a successful graded stakes debut in the El Encino.

Proposed, extremely well regarded before she began her career in 2004, was overshadowed by stablemate Sweet Catomine as a 2-year-old, but the dark bay filly has blossomed as she has gotten older.

By winning the Grade II by 2 1/2 lengths in her first start of 2006, Proposed, the 9-5 favorite, has been successful in five of seven races for trainer John Shirreffs since July 10.

“She’s really starting to come into her own,” Marty Wygod said. “John has really done a great job with this filly. She relaxes and does whatever you want her to do.”

Content to track the pace set by Somethinaboutlaura and Cream Donut Keith, Proposed gained the lead from the outside into the stretch and went on to win in 1:44.32 for the 1 1/16 miles.

“She’s a really nice filly,” winning rider Patrick Valenzuela said. “She had ears pricked in the stretch, but she kept running. I’m looking for bigger and better things with her.”

Play Ballado, the 5-2 second choice who was making her first start in California and first around two turns after winning three of four in Illinois and New York, was second, two lengths ahead of Somethinaboutlaura.

*

The win in the El Encino was the fourth stakes victory of the meet for Valenzuela, who is tied with Victor Espinoza, one behind leader Garrett Gomez. Valenzuela leads the jockey standings with 23 wins, four more than Gomez.

*

Brother Derek and Stevie Wonderboy, who finished 1-2 in the San Rafael Stakes on Saturday, exited the race in good shape and could meet for a third time in the $200,000 Santa Catalina Stakes on March 4.

*

Santa Anita’s replay show, which had been available only on HRTV through the first 16 days of the winter-spring meet, returns to KJLA (Channel 57) beginning tonight. The show will air every racing night at 7:30. It will continue on HRTV at 8:30 p.m. every racing day and at 8:30 a.m. the following day.