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"What made the effort even more admirable was that she was making her four-year-old bow against more in-form rivals, conceding weight to all round."

Anisette, a daughter of Derrinstown Stud sire Awtaad, ran out a brave winner of the Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita on Monday. She soon recovered from a bump at the start to chase the leader, finishing strongly down the outside of the field in the home straight to score decisively from the classy Olivia Moralda.

What made the effort even more admirable was that she was making her four-year-old bow against more in-form rivals, conceding weight to all round.

It was the third Grade 1 victory for the  filly, trained by Leonard Powell for the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, after the Del Mar Oaks and American Oaks last year.

Anisette was bred by the Morera Partnership out of Tutti Frutti, a placed Teofilo half-sister to Nassau Stakes heroine Sultanina.

She was purchased from the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale and originally raced in Britain with Kevin Philippart de Foy before her export to America.

Anisette is one of two top-level winners by Awtaad, the son of Cape Cross who won the Irish 2,000 Guineas in his pomp, along with last season’s Prix d’Ispahan victor Anmaat.

Widely acknowledged to be one of the best value options in Europe at his fee of €5,000, Awtaad has been incredibly popular at this year. He is also the source of Pattern winners Al Qareem, Create Belief and Diamil; Listed scorers Bellosa, Calithea, Ebeko, Maktoob, Prichi and Primo Bacio; and Stakes horses A Taad Moody, Austrian Theory, Naomi Lapaglia, Shahaada and Waterford.