ARCADIA, Calif. – Golden Production was taken for $40,000 the first time she showed up in a claiming race back in October, hasn’t been in a claiming race since, and likely won’t be for a while now, if ever, following a stakes victory Sunday at Santa Anita in the $80,950 Paseana.
Golden Production ($20.80) went off as the second-longest shot in the six-horse field and showed impressive grit to turn back a late bid from Stanwyck and prevail by a head in the 1 1/16-mile race for older fillies and mares. Halo Dolly was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
Miss Serendipity, the 2-1 favorite, Irish Presence, and Rock and Glory completed the order of finish.
With jockey Martin Pedroza aboard, Golden Production was timed in a pokey 1:44.34 on the fast main track.
Golden Production had won once in seven starts before being dropped into a claiming race here in October. According to trainer Peter Miller, owner Myron Miller – no relation to the trainer – suggested claiming Golden Production. She won that day, won a first-level allowance for her new connections at Hollywood Park in November, stepped up to a second-level allowance and won at Hollywood in December, and then won the Paseana, her fourth straight win and her third for the Millers.
“She was out of conditions, so it was either a high-priced claiming race or try these races,” Peter Miller said. “I think we’ll stick with these races now. We’ll try and run in some of these types of races to see if she belongs. I realize this wasn’t the top level. It was one step down.”
Golden Production, 5, a mare by Exchange Rate, has won five times in 11 starts.
Joe Talamo had ridden Golden Production in all 10 of her prior starts, both for Miller and original trainer Ron Ellis. He opted to take the call on the better-regarded Warren’s Veneda for the Paseana, and Pedroza picked up the mount on Golden Production. Talamo, however, was left in the jockeys’ room when Warren’s Veneda was scratched Sunday morning.
The stakes win was the second of the weekend for Pedroza, who won the San Pasqual on Saturday with Blueskiesnrainbows.