With a strong turn of foot late in the game, Watchtower (Demarchelier (GB)–Zloty, by Exchange Rate) won the GIII Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita, and in the process handed her second-crop sire his first black-type score.
A two-time winner earlier this year when she was in the barn of Chad Brown, Watchtower moved west after changing hands for $310,000 at KEEAPR from owner Peter Brant to the partnership of Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Omar Aldabbagh and Michael Iavarone, who placed her into the Richard Baltas program. A back-to-back runner-up against optional claimers Sept. 2 at Del Mar and Sept. 29 at this venue, Watchtower broke through in a big way for her new connections here.
Sent off at 8-1 and settling in eighth as the frontrunner turned into a loose leader–building up a seven-length margin at one point on the backstretch–through :22.61, :45.59, and 1:10.76 splits, that one came back to the field quickly when they closed ranks through the far turn. Flashing speed after getting clear of traffic trouble at the quarter pole, she took aim at 4-5 favorite Medoro (Honor Code) and Zona Verde (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) with a furlong left as the gap between them rapidly shortened. Even with the former in deep stretch, Watchtower got her head down first at the wire, winning by a nose.
This victory was the first Thoroughbred graded-stakes win for jockey Diego Herrera.
“It's pretty exciting, I wake up every morning and work hard. These are the moments I dreamt about as a little kid and now I get to live them, so I'm excited,” said Herrera.
“I think the pace helped today. We ran into really slow paces the last two starts and today, given the quick pace, I had a perfect trip. I had a little bit of traffic, but I overcame it and the filly did her job. She showed up for us and she has a big future ahead of her.”
Baltas added, “She is getting better. With that being said, she got a good setup. Diego gave her a good ride. She's kind of a one-paced filly. I told him, 'Don't rush her.' She broke really well, but he did a great job getting her to settle down.”
“I think last time she was a little too close because there wasn't much speed in there. You can't really change her style. She tries really hard. She has a lot of grit. I think she has a future. She's only 3 and still young.”
Pedigree Notes:
Watchtower is the first black-type winner for Demarchelier (GB), and is the first for her multiple stakes-placed dam as well. Zloty has produced four winners thus far counting this victress, and was barren in 2022 on a return trip to that one's sire. She has since produced a yearling colt by Basin as well as a 2024 colt by Tap Back. She visited Dads Caps for 2025.
#10 WATCHTOWER ($19.80) gets her nose down to win the $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes at @santaanitapark. The three-year-old Demarchelier (@ClaiborneFarm) filly gets her first stakes victory for trainer @TeamBaltas under jockey @JockeyHerrera. pic.twitter.com/FI8BsvkHl4
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 27, 2024
Sunday, Santa Anita
AUTUMN MISS S.-GIII, $102,500, Santa Anita, 10-27, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.35, fm.
1–WATCHTOWER, 120, f, 3, by Demarchelier (GB)
1st Dam: Zloty (MSP, $131,634), by Exchange Rate
2nd Dam: A. P. Reality, by Pulpit
3rd Dam: Halo Reality, by Prospector's Halo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($310,000 3yo '24 KEEAPR). O-Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Omar Aldabbagh and Michael Iavarone; B-White Birch Farm, Inc. (KY); T-Richard Baltas; J-Diego A. Herrera. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1, $134,860. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Medoro, 124, f, 3, Honor Code–Achira, by English Channel. O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Parks Investment Group, LLC (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $20,000.
3–Zona Verde (Ire), 124, f, 3, Calyx (GB)–Namibie (GB), by Dark Angel (Ire). (30,000gns RNA Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michael Nentwig; B-Knockainey Stud (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $12,000.
Margins: NO, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 8.90, 0.80, 5.00.
Also Ran: Sneaker, Asean (Ire), Sea Dancer, Tiaraqueen (GB), Tahini, Wine On Tap, Circle of Trust. Scratched: Esprit Enchante, Mixologist.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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