From DMTC Publicity
DEL MAR, Calif. (July 22, 2016) — Unbeaten Enola Gray, the 1-9 favorite in a field of five, ran to her odds and then some Friday as she romped to a 7 3/4 length triumph in the featured $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for Golden State Series eligible 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar.
The issue never seemed in doubt as Enola Gray pressed the early pace, cruised to the lead in the upper stretch under little urging from jockey Tyler Baze and breezed to the wire in the stakes record time of 1:21.24 for the seven furlongs. The former stakes record of 1:21.40 was set by Princess Royalty in 1990. This was the 31st running of the race.
“I’ve never won a race any easier,” said Baze. “She’s just unbelievable. She’s so special. I’d say the race was probably over by the half-mile pole. She just goes so easy. All I’ve got to do is keep her happy. She handles all the rest.”
Enola Gray, a daughter of Grazen bred and owned by Nick Alexander and trained by Phil D’Amato, was scoring her third easy victory. She broke her maiden by more than 16 lengths at Santa Anita last April, and won the Melair Stakes by two and one-quarter lengths in late May.
“She’s learning to relax in her races and flash a turn of foot,” said D’Amato. “She’s slowly coming around. She showed a new dimension today, she sat off the pace and kicked home and did it the right way. There’s still a lot of room for improvement and development in her. We’re just going to take it step by step and see what happens. I don’t have any plans for her next race yet.”
Allsquare, an 11-1 outsider ridden by Joe Talamo, was runner-up, a length and one-quarter ahead of Fantasy of Luck who nosed out The Spiral Jetter for third. Withdrawn from the line-up were Roo’s Valentine and Be a Lady, the latter scratched by stewards when she refused to go to the starting gate.
Enola Gray returned $2.20, $2.10 and $2.10 while earning $85,000 to increase her earnings to $228,600. Because of heavy wagering to show on the winner, there was a minus pool of $51,393. Allsquare paid $3.20 and $2.40, while Fantasy of Luck returned $2.20 to show.
With a one-day carryover of $68,514, there were 30 perfect tickets in the Pick Six and each paid $15,147.
Racing resumes Saturday with 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome heading the line-up in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap. Post time for the first race is 2 p.m.