Black Mamba rallies to retain Beverly Hills crown

Black Mamba (outside) just got up on the wire (Benoit Photos)

Doubledown Stable's BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) wore down a game

Charming Legacy (Ire) (Danehill) in the final strides to defend her title in

Sunday's $147,000

Beverly Hills H. (G2) at Hollywood Park. Thrusting her head in front at the

wire, the 3-5 favorite completed 1 1/4 miles on the firm turf in 1:59 3/5 and

paid $3.40 and $2.20. There was no show wagering on the scratch-reduced field of

four.

Under a patient Garrett Gomez, Black Mamba took up her usual spot in the rear

as the pacesetting You Lift Me Up (Lord Carson) set splits of :23 2/5 and :47.

Charming Legacy stalked in second, with Toque de Queda (GB) (Dansili [GB])

eventually settling into third.

By the time You Lift Me Up reached six furlongs in 1:11, Charming Legacy had

advanced to her throat-latch. The two battled around the far turn, getting the

mile in 1:34 4/5, and into the stretch, when Charming Legacy finally put her

adversary away. Meanwhile, Black Mamba was already gaining ground on the outside

and soon loomed as a danger. Charming Legacy kept on resolutely, and for a

moment, appeared on the verge of an upset. Black Mamba surged in the nick of

time, however, and just denied the runner-up.

Charming Legacy, the 3-1 third choice, yielded $3.20 and ended the $4.90

exacta ($1). You Lift Me Up crossed the wire another two lengths back,

completing the 3-6-4 trifecta ($1) that returned $16.40. Toque de Queda checked

in a further 9 1/2 lengths adrift in fourth. Hot n' Dusty (Unusual Heat), who

ran fourth in Saturday's Vanity H. (G1), and Restless Soul (GB) (Singspiel

[Ire]) were scratched.