JOHANNESBURG'S BARONESS EARNS FIRST STAKES WIN

Baroness Thatcher unleashed a determined three-wide bid on the turn and inched clear in midstretch to post a half-length victory in the $108,200 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
The Johannesburg filly broke outward and stalked the pace in third for six furlongs after being taken off the rail by jockey Garrett Gomez. Overtaking two foes and opening a half-length lead in early stretch, Baroness Thatcher gamely won her first start for trainer Patrick Biancone. Gomez also guided Baroness Thatcher to a five-length win in a maiden special weight race on October 7 at Keeneland Race Course when the chestnut filly was trained by Dale Romans.
“She’s been training very well since she’s been here and she was very settled and quiet before the race,” said Thomas Brandebourger, an assistant to Biancone. “Garrett [Gomez] knew her from before. He knew how to ride her. She had a nice trip and ran a nice race.”
Baroness Thatcher dropped three lengths off the pace through a quarter-mile in :23.29 and trailed by more than one length through six furlongs in 1:11.99. The chestnut filly turned back a late bid from Grade 3-placed stakes winner Runway Rosie and won the race for three-year-old fillies in 1:44.31 on a fast track.
Multiple Grade 3-placed stakes winner Mistical Plan finished third, 51⁄2 lengths behind Runway Rosie.
“She’s not very big, but she’s got a big heart,” Gomez said. “It worked out good for us.” 

Bred by Sally Andersen, Zayat Stables’s Baroness Thatcher is out of the Gulch mare Natkeeta.