Street Fancy shines in Starlet
December 13th, 2015
Street Fancy didn’t have the best of starts under jockey Mike Smith. She steadied after being in tight between rivals right after the break, then finally settled into a ground-saving spot just off the rail.
While this was happening, Pretty N Cool was grabbing command of the race from her far outside post. The gray miss crossed over in front of everyone but Treasuring, who took up position just to Pretty N Cool’s inside through splits of :22.84, :46.73 and 1:11/26.
Stays in Vegas tracked outside of Pretty N Cool and put in her bid around the turn. Pretty N Cool maintained control into the stretch before having it wrested away by Stays in Vegas. That one didn’t hang on for long, though, as Street Fancy suddenly appeared on the inside.
After saving ground into the lane, Street Fancy easily passed her tiring rivals to triumph in a final time of 1:44.42 for 1 1/16 miles over Los Alamitos’ fast main track. In the process, the bay daughter of Street Sense earned 10 points toward a starting berth in next May’s Kentucky Oaks (G1).
The Starlet is the final 2015 race in the Road to the Kentucky series of points contests, and also awarded Stays in Vegas four points for her runner-up finish on Saturday. Sutton’s Smile rallied from last to take third, and two points, by just a head over Pretty N Cool, who garnered one point for fourth place.
Street Fancy broke her maiden at first asking on October 18 at Santa Anita Park and entered the Starlet off a half-length third in the November 15 Desi Arnaz S. at Del Mar. Bred in Kentucky by Hunter Valley Farm, she improved her career line to 3-2-0-1 and has now accumulated $223,200 in lifetime earnings.
One race before the Starlet, Found Money scored as the even-money favorite in the $101,000 King Glorious S. at Los Alamitos.
Street Fancy photo courtesy of Benoit Photos
STARLET QUOTES:
Mike Smith (jockey, winner Street Fancy): “She’s anxious before the race starts, but once she leaves there she’s cool and was very relaxed today. We’re actually still figuring each other out and that’s what was happening in the early part of the race. I wasn’t concerned about coming up on the inside in the stretch because there was plenty of room and she was very focused.”
Alex Solis (jockey, second Stays in Vegas): “We got a good trip. She relaxed nicely. I waited as long as I could, but I did have to move a little earlier than I wanted. She was game and showed a lot of heart.”
Phil D’Amato (trainer, winner Street Fancy): “She showed a lot of tenacity and fight and (jockey) Mike (Smith) says we still haven’t gotten to the bottom of her yet. She can be a little temperamental at times and we’ve been working a lot with her to get her to relax and slowly but surely she’s been coming along. It’s been three different distances at three different tracks and today we got the big one.
“She’s a big, giant scopey filly. She looks twice the size of anybody else in this field. I knew she wanted to go two turns. I was just hoping today was the day she showed she wanted it and she did.”
Dan Ward (assistant trainer, second Stays in Vegas): “She ran great. She ran a good race on the dirt.”
KING GLORIOUS QUOTES:
Mario Gutierrez (jockey, winner Found Money): “The race went pretty much the way I hoped it would because I didn’t want to get to the lead too early. (Runner-up Glory Bound) put up a real good fight in the stretch, but my horse was very game.”
Doug O’Neill (trainer, winner Found Money): “All credit to (jockey) Mario (Gutierrez). He rode him with confidence. He felt he was on the best horse and rode him accordingly. Mario’s ridden well at this track. It’s a long straightaway and you have to conserve your horse and he did just that.”
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