SAHorseracing.com
SAHorseracing.com
SANDIVA DOES IT AGAIN

SANDIVA (IRE) gained the seventh Stakes win of her career on Saturday when taking the Grade 3 Marshua’s River Stakes at Gulfstream Park for the second consecutive year. The $150,000 contest over a mile and half a furlong saw three-time Graded winner Isabella Sings take the lead, with the eventual winner racing towards the back of the field under Javier Castellano, coming three wide on the turn for home, running on strongly in the straight to register a half length victory. Fellow Irish-bred mare and former Michael Halford trainee Sea Coast (IRE) took second, while the longtime leader took third. Todd Pletcher trains the six-year-old winner for Al Shaqab Racing, who plan to retire her to the breeding shed this year, though she may make one more start before then in a Grade 3 contest on February 11th.

Bred by Denis McDonnell, SANDIVA (IRE) is one of 28 Group/Graded winners by Coolmore Stud sire Footstepsinthesand, who commands a fee of €10,000 this season. Her Mark Of Esteem (IRE) dam, Miss Corinne, has also produced Betfred Mile and Listed winner Wentworth (IRE), as well as Listed performer Irish Cliff (IRE). The second dam, Percy’s Girl (IRE), is a Listed-placed full-sister to Group 3 winner Percy’s Lass, herself the dam of dual Group 1 winner and sire Sir Percy. Their accomplished family also includes EP Taylor Stakes winner Braiswick, three-time Group winner Mikhail Glinka (IRE) and dual Group winner Grace O’Malley (IRE). 

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