9 Feb. USA. Santa Maria H. G1. Santa Anita Park. 8,5f. AW. 250.000 $
1.- DOUBLE TROUBLE (R.Bejarano)
2.- TOUGH TIZ'S SIS (V.Espinoza)
3.- SOMETHINABOUTLAURA (D.Flores)


Double Trouble attained grade I glory in her first try for trainer Bobby Frankel with a come-from-behind victory in the $245,000 Santa Maria Handicap at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The Brazilian-bred 5-year-old mare had a perfect trip under Rafael Bejarano, coasting up on the outside of odds-on choice Tough Tiz's Sis and Somethinaboutlaura mid-stretch. She had to work to get the lead under right-handed urging, but she drew off in the final furlong to an easy 4 1/2-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile event for older fillies and mares.

The final time was 1:42.46 on the renovated Cushion Track, which had been closed for the prior week for repairs. A scratched down field of four contested the Santa Maria.

Double Trouble, primarily a grass horse, is undefeated in two tries on synthetic surface. Frankel made it back-to-back victories in the Santa Maria after winning the 2007 edition with Stronach Stables' Sugar Shake. He was ill Saturday and did not attend.

A daughter of Wild Event, Double Trouble won a grade II race in Brazil in 2006 prior to transferring to the U.S. last spring. In her first North American start, she ran fourth in the Wilshire Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Hollywood Park lawn April 25, her only prior graded race in this country. Patricia Bozzano's bay improved her lifetime record to 7-1-5 in 15 starts and increased her earnings to $332,204 with the winning purse of $150,000.

“I didn’t know if she was going to like the track or not, but (Bejarano) just took his time when he saw those two horses going to the lead," said winning assistant trainer Humberto Ascanio. "Plus, Bobby never lost faith in this horse. He thinks she’s a nice filly, and he made a little adjustment in her last two races. She’s been lugging in, so Bobby changed her bridle and it helped.”