Elektrum provides electric finish in John C. Mabee

Elektrum just kept her head in front on the wire of Saturday’s $250,750 John C. Mabee S. (G2) at Del Mar to earn her first stakes victory.

Jockey Victor Espinoza kept Elektrum in a nice stalking spot in midpack on the outside of Personal Diary as Fanticola set a reasonable pace up front through splits of :24.04, :48.03 and 1:12.21.

Nearing the turn, Queen of the Sand began her move from the back and Emotional Kitten went with her. Those two closed fast on the outside and were joined by Elektrum rounding the bend.

Elektrum, Emotional Kitten and Queen of the Sand battled it out in the lane, with Fanticola digging deep to stay with the pack along the rail. Elektrum managed to inch in front to get her head on the line first and finish the 1 1/8-mile, firm-turf contest in 1:48.55 for trainer John Sadler.

Queen of the Sand took second by a neck over Emotional Kitten, while Fanticola filled out the superfecta another neck back in fourth. Personal Diary completed the blanket finish, a neck behind in fifth.

Elektrum proved herself in her initial trio of U.S. starts against allowance/optional claiming company, then suffered a tough loss when fourth by only 1 1/4 lengths in the Gamely S. (G1) last out on May 25.

She hadn’t been seen since the Gamely, though Fanticola returned off a second in that contest to take the Royal Heroine S. (G2) by a neck over Queen of the Sand, who was eighth in the Gamely.

Bred in Ireland, Elektrum ran fifth in the Oaks d’Italia (Ity-G2) and was third in France’s Prix de Thiberville last season. She made her U.S. debut in February.