ARCADIA, Calif. - When the 4-year-old filly Public Assembly won her first start in California in an allowance race on turf at Santa Anita on March 30, winning jockey Antonio Fresu told trainer Phil D’Amato that she may have belonged in that weekend’s Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes on turf.
Public Assembly had her stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Royal Heroine Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf, and showed why Fresu was so enthusiastic.
In the $103,000 Royal Heroine Stakes, Public Assembly closed from sixth in a field of 11 to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Fresu kept Public Assembly on the inside to early stretch and rallied between rivals in the final furlong.
“I’ve always liked her since Phil got her,” Fresu said. “I’ve been breezing her. Last time, when she won, she was coming back from a layoff, but she won very easily. She should have been in the stakes.”
Public Assembly ($18) was timed in 1:36.13 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 88. The Royal Heroine was the shortest race of her career in her sixth start.
“I was confident today,” Fresu said. “I thought it might have been a little too short. I had a good break and we got through saving ground. She finished nicely.
“I was waiting for a gap. She took off. The last furlong was impressive for me.”
The D’Amato-trained Sun Of Hill finished second at 28-1, closing from last in the final half-mile. A Group 1 winner in Brazil in 2023, Sun Of Hill had her best result in six starts in the United States in the Royal Heroine. The $1 exacta linking Public Assembly and Sun Of Hill returned $144.90.
Sneaker (23-1) closed from ninth to finish third, and was followed by Venganza, Valence, Eternal Reign, Tirupati, Raw Ability, Hamwood Flier, Uncorked and Mucho Macho Girl. Baltic Fire and Lunar Impact were scratched.
D’Amato trains Eternal Reign and Uncorked, who won the 2024 Royal Heroine.
Raw Ability was the 9-5 favorite and had her stakes debut on Saturday. She stalked the pace to the final furlong before fading to finish 7 3/4 lengths behind Public Assembly.
Tirupati, the even-money winner of the Wilshire on March 29, was the 3-1 second choice on Saturday. She was fifth on the backstretch while racing wide, but was no threat in the stretch.
Public Assembly has won three times and earned $224,666. By More Than Ready, Public Assembly was previously trained by Chad Brown. She was purchased for $225,000 at the Keeneland November sale last year and races for the partnership of Abbondanza Racing, and Medallion Racing.
Public Assembly gave D’Amato his first stakes win of 2025. One of California’s leading trainers, D’Amato had 36 stakes wins in 2024.
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