Nashoba’s Key takes advantage

Those who were looking forward to a showdown between Nashoba’s Key and the undefeated Zenyatta will have to wait for another day.

Saying the 4-year-old Street Cry filly wasn’t 100% ready after missing some training, trainer John Shirreffs scratched Zenyatta, who is three for three for owners Jerry and Ann Moss, from the $300,000 Santa Margarita Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita.

In her absence, the Grade 1 turned into a tour de force for Nashoba’s Key.

After losing twice in a row, the 5-year-old Silver Hawk mare took advantage of a great trip in her reunion with jockey Garrett Gomez and easily dispatched four rivals in winning for owner-breeder Warren Williamson and trainer Carla Gaines.

Comfortable tracking the extremely slow pace set by eventual runner-up and La Canada winner Dawn After Dawn, Nashoba’s Key, the 1-2 favorite, powered away in the final eighth of a mile to win by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:48.82 for the nine furlongs. She is four for four under Gomez, who regained the mount after Nashoba’s Key finished second as the 7-10 favorite under Joe Talamo in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf on Jan. 26.

“She’s gotten a lot better since I rode her last year,” said Gomez, who was aboard for the first time since he won the Fran’s Valentine on the Hollywood Park turf April 29. “We were able to sit just outside [Dawn After Dawn] and I think that gave us our best opportunity to win. It’s great to be back on this mare.”

Gaines indicated Nashoba’s Key, who has won eight of 10 and earned $1,252,090, could return to the grass in the $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap on April 19.

Although he could manage only a third-place finish on 2-1 second choice Double Trouble in the Santa Margarita, jockey Rafael Bejarano won four times Sunday to increase his lead over Gomez, who won three times, in the standings. Bejarano has 55 victories, five more than Gomez.

Hystericalady, the 7-10 favorite, rebounded from a poor performance at Santa Anita, easily winning the $175,000 Azeri on Sunday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Fourth as the 3-10 favorite in the Santa Monica Handicap on Feb. 2 in Arcadia, the 5-year-old Distorted Humor mare stretched out and won the Grade III under new rider Robby Albarado. The victory was the eighth in 17 races for Hystericalady, who is co-owned and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.

Even-money favorite Spring Waltz won her fourth in a row and became a graded stakes winner with a decisive victory in the $200,000 Rampart Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by breeder Frank Stronach and trained by Brian Lynch, the 5-year-old Silver Charm mare found a seam between horses in the stretch and went on to win the Grade II by 3 1/4 lengths.

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Spring Waltz, who has won six of nine, ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.73.

Jockey Alonso Quinonez, who was unseated from Philo Beddoe in the first race Saturday, was off his mounts again Sunday because of a muscle strain in his right shoulder. Quinonez, who has 14 winners at Santa Anita, will probably ride today, according to agent Brandon O’Bryan.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com