Jewel Princess Wins the Grade 2 El Encino at Santa Anita
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
1996 – Florida-bred Jewel Princess began her championship year for owners Richard J. and Martha Stephen with a two-and-a-half length victory in the Grade 2 El Encino at Santa Anita.
Last of four early, but only about a length-and-a-half off frontrunner Sleep Easy in the field of 4-year-old fillies going a mile-and-a-sixteenth, Jewel Princess and jockey Alex Solix rallied three-wide on the turn before taking over in deep stretch to win by two-and-a-half lengths. Sleep Easy was second with Urbane Third.
The El Encino was the first of five graded-stakes victories in 1996 for Jewel Princess, who finished the year winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Woodbine in October for the Stephens and The Thoroughbred Corp.
Trained by Wally Dollase, Jewel Princess would also be recognized with the 1996 Eclipse Award as the Champion Older Female.
Jewel Princess was by Key to the Mint out of Jewel Ridge, by Melyno (Ire) and was bred by Farnsworth Farms. She retired with 13 wins, four seconds and seven thirds in 19 career starts with earnings of $1,904,600.