Composure Proves She's Best In The West With Santa Anita Oaks Win
By: John Gaver III

(Mar. 8, 2003) - In a virtual replay of the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes, only with different cast members, Bob and Beverly Lewis' Composure wore down pacesetting Elloluv to win the 64th running of the $350,000 Santa Anita Oaks (GI) by three-quarters of a length at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Saturday, Mar. 8.

Go For Glamour, Harbor Blues and Long Term Wish completed the official order of finish.

Unlike the Las Virgenes, Composure got away to a good start and stalked pacesetting Elloluv and jockey Pat Valenzuela, who sat chilly with a handful of horse, through a pedestrian open quarter-mile in :24.59 and an equally slow half in :48.57.

At the top of the stretch, Composure collared Elloluv and the two fillies set sail for the wire as a team. Inside the final furlong, Composure and jockey Jerry Bailey were able to edge clear to garner the victory, covering the mile and a sixteenth distance over "fast" surface in 1:43.34. The Bob Baffert-trainee returned $2.80, $2.10, $2.10 as the 2-5 betting favorite.

"She got herself right up in the race," winning jockey Jerry Bailey said. "I didn't have to do a whole lot."

With the victory, Composure, a bay daughter of Touch Gold and Party Cited, improved her lifetime record to four wins and three second place finishes from eight lifetime starts. The $180,000 winner's share of the Santa Anita Oaks purse increased her career earnings to $731,300.

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