Via Bendita (Borrego — Crystal Kris, by Kissin Kris) was named 2014 Alberta Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and awarded the Dave Kapchinsky Memorial Trophy (left) in a ceremony hosted by the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society on May 9th in Edmonton, Canada. Bred and owned by Mat Monaco, the bay filly started her racing career at E.A. Ranches in Ramona, California, where she was broke to ride and received her solid race training foundation, until joining the barn of Rodney Cone at Golden Gate.
Making her first start early in February of her 3-year-old season at the Albany, California track, it took Via Bendita only four tries in three months to break her maiden. After she did so, impressively, in May 2014 at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Canada, she was on a roll. Already in June she scored her first stakes win in the R.K. (Red) Smith Handicap, and a month later placed in the Northlands Oaks. Currently, Via Bendita is getting ready for her 4-year-old season.
“I couldn’t be happier with the excellent job E.A. Ranches did with Via Bendita, and how Marguerite Eliasson and her team care for my broodmares, foals and yearlings,” Mat Monaco said shortly after receiving the award. “I give this operation a ten out of ten.” His current 2-year-old filly, Tiz Cotton (High Cotton — Ice Tiz Nice, by Tiznow), also graduated from the breaking and training program at E.A. Ranches.
See the win photo of Via Bendita in the R.K. (Red) Smith Handicap.