From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 18, 2020)–Claimed two starts back for $80,000, trainer Mike Puype’s Stealthediamonds stole away on a comfortable lead and never relinquished command, taking Saturday’s $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint by one half length. Ridden by Agapito Delgadillo, the 4-year-old California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat got 5 ½ furlongs on the Santa Anita turf in 1:01.61.
The Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint is part of the lucrative Golden State Series for California-bred or sired horses and is sponsored by the CTBA.
Bred by KMN Racing, Stealthediamonds enjoyed a 1 ½ length advantage over heavily favored Just Grazed Me mid-way around the turn and looked all a winner every step of the way.
“She got away pretty easy an she was just breezing,” said Delgadillo, who had guided her to an allowance win in her most recent start. “At the top of the lane, I asked her for more and she put it in another gear and we came home easily.”
A one length winner of a five furlong turf allowance on Nov. 24 at Del Mar, Stealthediamonds, who is out of the Pure Prize mare No Better Terms, was off as the 3-1 second choice in a field of six older fillies and mares bred or sired in California and paid $8.80, $3.40 and $2.20.
“With her speed, we certainly expected to be in front,” said Puype. “When the favorite made her bid through the stretch, there was some concern because she’s such a good horse, but Agapito kept our filly going. We claimed her (on Oct. 27) with this (race) in mind, because opportunities like this don’t come along too often. Her speed makes her dangerous, especially when there’s no other speed in the race. It’s nice to get such a quick dividend on the $80,000 investment.”
With today’s race marking her first stakes victory, Stealthediamonds is now 17-6-3-4. With the winner’s share of $90,000, she now has earnings of $289,875.
Just Grazed Me, who was ridden by Geovanni Franco, was gallant in defeat, but could not close the gap on the winner while finishing three quarters of a length in front of Apache Princess. Off at 1-2, she paid $2.40 and $2.10.
Apache Princess, ridden by Flavien Prat, saved ground while full of run at the rail around the turn, leveled nicely through the lane and finished very well to be third, 6 ¼ lengths clear of Lakerball. Off at 7-2, she paid $2.10 to show.
Fractions, set by the winner, were 22.16, 44.73 and 55.81.