Exciting young sire Munnings has gone from strength to strength this year adding an important new stakes-winner to his tally when talented filly Ben’s Duchess (3f Munnings x Armathwaite, by Sky Classic) landed the $100,000 Grade III LA Woman Stakes at Santa Anita on the weekend.
Stakes-placed three times previously and as honest as the day is long, the John Sadler trained Ben’s Duchess collected her first Black Type win with a clever ride from Joe Talamo, who brought her home with a well-timed run to win the six and a half furlong sprint by more than three lengths.
“I was smiling when I saw the race play out in front of me,” said Talamo.
“We really had a good trip. I kept her back and to the outside because the kick-back was a little heavy. I came into the turn and I had so much horse.
“She runs her race every time, she’s hit the board every time she’s run. Even when she doesn’t win, she’s such a hard-trying filly, so I had all the confidence in the world in her today.”
Raced by Doubledown Stables, Ben’s Duchess has won four races and placed five times from nine starts earning over $222,000 in prize money.
She has been through the sale ring several times fetching $45,000 as a weanling, $57,000 as a yearling and finally $170,000 at the OBS March 2YO Sale.
The 13th stakes-winner for Munnings, Ben’s Duchess is from Armathwaite, a half-sister to stakes-winner Shareefa, the dam of Grade I winner Vergennes.
