Governor Goteven wins CTBA Stakes

Lisa Bernard was the winning trainer in her first career stakes race and also her first career Del Mar Thoroughbred Club summer meet race when San Luis Rey Training Center filly Governor Goteven finished first in the Aug. 1 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes.

The 2-year-old filly won the 5 1/2-furlong dirt race with a time of 1:05.55 and finished 3 1/2 lengths in front of second-place Big Andy. The win gave Governor Goteven first-place finishes in both of her career races and was the fourth victory for Bernard in her 37 starts as a head trainer.

"I am just beside myself," Bernard said.

Bernard is originally from New Hampshire but moved to Bonsall three years ago for equestrian reasons.

"It's better opportunities," she said.

She began her San Luis Rey career as an assistant trainer under Walther Solis and has had her own stable since April 2019. Bernard first saddled a horse for a race May 17, 2019; Daddys Real Diva finished fifth in that Santa Anita race. Her first win as a trainer was Oct. 10, 2019, when Reds Sacred Appeal won a one-mile dirt race at Santa Anita. Bernard had 12 starts in 2019 including two during the Del Mar fall meet. She did not have any horses in the 2019 Del Mar summer meet.

Bernard began training Linda Templeton's horses this past winter.

"I appreciate the opportunities that she has given me," Bernard said.

"She's so good with the horses," Templeton said.

Governor Goteven was foaled at Lovacres Ranch in Warner Springs and was there before being sent to San Luis Rey. A March 7 timed workout was the first of 10 at San Luis Rey for Governor Goteven. She had three workouts at the Del Mar track before her Aug. 1 race.

"She's been training well," Bernard said.

Templeton has owned race horses since November 2005, although she and her husband purchased what is now Lovacres Ranch in 1977 and bred Appaloosa riding horses on what was then called Templeton Oaks before selling the property to Terry Lovinger in 2005. Templeton not only owns Governor Goteven but bred the horse whose sire is Governor Charlie, which is owned by Lovinger, and whose dam is Time Linda Goteven, which was not directly named after Templeton; she was named after her dam, Linda's Bluff, who was named after Templeton. Governor Goteven was foaled Feb. 26, 2018.

"Very special," Bernard said. "She's a very sweet filly to deal with, too."

"I think she's a great horse," Templeton said. "She's a beautiful, beautiful horse. She's a nice horse."

Tiago Pereira was Governor Goteven's jockey both for the CTBA Stakes and for the filly's first race May 29 at Santa Anita Park when she won a 4 1/2-furlong dirt race for 2-year-old California-bred fillies.

"He rode her really well when she broke her maiden," Bernard said. "He knows the filly."

Bernard thus gave Pereira simple instructions about riding Governor Goteven in the CTBA Stakes, most notably to break well.

"The horse did the rest," Bernard said.

In the May 29 race, Governor Goteven won by a neck over second-place Stars of Bluegrass. Governor Goteven was third after the first quarter of a mile and entered the stretch second, although behind by only a head.

Bernard noted that Governor Goteven is a strong finisher rather than a horse with early speed.

"Makes it exciting," Bernard said.

The CTBA Stakes is also for 2-year-old California-bred fillies.

"This is a better race for her because of the distance," Bernard said.

Pereira and Governor Goteven broke second among the five horses in the race. Reign of Fire had the lead after a quarter of a mile, which took her 22.14 seconds, while Governor Goteven was in second a head behind Reign of Fire and 2 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Righteously, a San Luis Rey filly trained by Edward Freeman.

With 3/8 of a mile completed Governor Goteven was in the lead, a head in front of Reign of Fire. The first three furlongs took Governor Goteven 46.12 seconds.

Governor Goteven required 59.80 seconds to reach the stretch, and at that point she held a one-length lead over Reign of Fire, who was three lengths in front of third-place Big Andy.

"She ran just like she ran in her maiden," Bernard said.

"She does her job. She knows what to do," Bernard said. "In training she runs the same way."

Big Andy passed Reign of Fire in the stretch to finish second. Righteously was the fourth horse across the finish line and was 11 1/4 lengths behind Governor Goteven and 6 1/4 lengths behind third-place Reign of Fire.

"She came out of the race really good," Bernard said of Governor Goteven.

"She wasn't sweating at all," Templeton said.

First place was worth $57,000 of the $98,000 total purse and brought Governor Goteven's career earnings to $87,000.

"I think she's going to turn out to be something really special," Templeton said.

"I wish we could have had a winner's circle photo, but I can't complain," Bernard said. "I'm very happy for Linda."

The owners remained in their boxes and were not allowed to go onto the track for a winner's circle photo.

"At least we got to go and watch. I got to watch," Templeton said. "That was exciting, though. It's better than watching on TV."

The six-furlong Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies will be contested Aug. 30, at Del Mar, and Bernard expects that to be Governor Goteven's next race.

"It's going to be a great setup for her," Bernard said. "That's going to be a real good race for her."

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].