Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
WA-bred six-year-old Soho Santorini ended a losing sequence of 21 when Mitch Miller drove him to an all-the-way win in the $31,000 Streamer.com.au Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It was his first success since he led and won from Flying Rumour and Our Shelley Beach Girl at Gloucester Park on Australia Day last year.
Soho Santorini, trained by Kim Prentice, was a $6.60 chance from the No. 3 barrier, and Miller paved the way for the win by getting Soho Santorini away to a flying start when the $1.85 favourite Rascal was expected to win the start and set the pace from the prized No. 1 barrier.
Emily Suvaljko eased Rascal off the pegs 700m after the start to work without cover. But the gelding became unsettled and raced ungenerously in the breeze before fading to finish last in the field of seven.
Soho Santori dashed over the final quarters in 28.6sec. and 28.4sec. and held on gamely to beat $23 chance Rock Me Over by a half neck with the veteran pacer running home stoutly after racing in the one-out, one-back position.
“Soho Santorini has always been a good frontrunner,” said Miller. “But since he has come to town, he has found it a bit harder racing against better (city) horses. Tonight, it looked his race if he could lead, and he stuck his neck out for once.
“He is slowly finding his feet in metro-class racing, and I think he will continue to earn. Hopefully, it’s not another 21 runs before he wins again.”
Soho Santorini was bred by Steve Johnson and was bought for $27,000 by Rob Watson at the 2020 Perth APG yearling sale. He now has earned $142,357 from 12 wins and 20 placings from 52 starts. He is by American sire Sunshine Beach and is the third foal out of Jeremes Jet mare Hannah Isabella, who was retired after finishing last at her only start, at Gloucester Park in January 2014.
Hannah Isabella’s dam Bonnie Blue Eyes was retired to the breeding barn after racing 44 times for 12 wins, 16 placings and $87,565. Bonnie Blue Eyes produced nine winners, including No Blue Manna, who won at his first ten starts and was retired with earnings of $628,157 from 41 wins and 25 placings from 105 starts.