Public Assembly Earns 1st Stakes Win, Leads A Phil-D’Amato-Trained Exacta In Saturday’s Grade III Royal Heroine Stakes Going A Mile On Turf At Santa Anita

PUBLIC ASSEMBLY EARNS 1ST STAKES WIN, LEADS A PHIL-D’AMATO-TRAINED EXACTA IN SATURDAY’S GRADE III ROYAL HEROINE STAKES GOING A MILE ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (April 26, 2025)—Making her stakes debut, Public Assembly split horses at the top of the stretch and kicked clear under Antonio Fresu to win the Grade III, $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes for older fillies and mares going a mile on turf Saturday at Santa Anita.

Public Assembly (8-1) won by 1 ¾ lengths over longshot stablemate Sun Of Hill (28-1) to lead a Phil D’Amato-trained exacta that paid $144.90 for $1. Longshots also completed the superfecta as Sneaker (23-1) checked in third followed by Venganza (19-1). The 10-cent superfecta returned $1,823.60.

Public Assembly was making her second start for D’Amato after previously being based in the east with trainer Chad Brown. In five previous starts, she had never raced at a distance as short as a mile. In her first start for D’Amato, an entry-level allowance going 1 ¼ miles on turf, Public Assembly came from off the pace and won comfortably by 1 ¼ lengths with Fresu up.

“I told Phil after that she should run in a stakes right away,” Fresu said.

Helping to prepare for the shorter trip in the Royal Heroine, which is a lead-in to the GI Gamely going 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on May 26, D’Amato had Public Assembly work a fast five furlongs in 58.40 seconds.

“Coming from a mile and a quarter to a mile, I kind of wanted a really sharp work to kind of get her on her toes so she would get more interested in the race,” D’Amato said. “In a way, it kind of worked out.”

Hamwood Flier (10-1), with Juan Hernandez up, set an uncontested pace as Public Assembly settled in mid-pack in the 11-horse field while saving ground along the rail. At the head of the stretch, Fresu appeared full of horse and waiting for somewhere to run. When a seam did open up, Public Assembly shot through and was never challenged.

“I was very confident today,” Fresu said. “The only bit of concern was it might be a little too short for her at a mile. I had a great break from the gate and a great trip saving ground. She felt, really, really comfortable, even better than last time. She was travelling beautifully all the way around. I was just waiting for a gap. As soon as she saw the gap, she took off. It was impressive.”

On a turf course listed as good, Public Assembly won in a time of 1:36.13 following fractions of 22.71, 46.23, 1:10.99 and 1:23.98.

The runner-up finish by Sun Of Hill was almost as impressive. With Tiago Pereira up, Sun Of Hill hopped at the break and quickly lost touch of the field. At the quarter pole, she had just one horse beat. But Brazilian-bred Sun Of Hill then uncorked a furious rally in the stretch to earn her first placing in a U.S. graded stakes.

Public Assembly paid $18.00, $7.20 and $5.40. Sun Of Hill returned $24.40 and $12.80. Sneaker, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke for trainer George Papaprodromou, paid $13.60.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Santa Anita with an 11-race card starting at 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.

GRADE III, $100,000 ROYAL HEROINE STAKES QUOTES