From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 18, 2020)–Head and head for the early lead, Harris Farms homebred Fashionably Fast proved tough as nails late, as he repelled a stout challenge from late closing Lieutenant Dan to take Saturday’s $150,000 Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita by a neck, providing him with his fifth consecutive victory dating back to July 27 at Del Mar. Ridden by Tiago Pereira and trained by Dean Pederson, the 5-year-old California-bred gelding by Lucky Pulpit got six furlongs in 1:09.60.
Sponsored by the CTBA, the Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint is part of the lucrative Golden State Series for California-bred or sired horses.
“I don’t know if that is his ideal running style, but you gotta ride to win,” said Pederson. “I kind of left it in (Pereira’s) hands. The horse was just game as can be coming down the stretch. The horse has done so much for us, how can you be disappointed in anything he does. We are just very thankful to be in this position and for the opportunity to have this horse. You can’t train for better owners.”
A winner of a pair of Cal-bred sprint stakes on Oct. 5 at The Big Fresno Fair and on Nov. 24 at Del Mar, Fashionable Fast was off at 2-1 and paid $6.20, $3.00 and $2.60.
“Our plan was to stay just behind the one horse (Baja Sur) and then push on the outside when we came for home,” said Pereira, who has been aboard for his five consecutive wins. “I switched the whip in the stretch and when the horse (Lieutenant Dan) came outside of us, he really responded…I love this horse.”
Owned by Harris Farms, Per Antonsen and John Nicoletti, out of the Forestry mare Fall Fashion, Fashionably Fast now has three stakes wins from an overall mark of 15-6-3-2. With the winner’s share of $90,000, he now has earnings of $389,745.
Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Lieutenant Dan rallied four-wide turning for home, but couldn’t get by the winner late, finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Brandothebartender. Off at 5-2, Lieutenant Dan paid $3.20 and $2.80.
Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Brandothebartender, off at 15-1, paid $3.80 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.75, 44.72 and 56.79.