Kentucky-based Crazy Beautiful made amends for a disappointing effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks as she rallied three-wide turning for home en route to a 1 ¾-length win in Sunday's G2, $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Ken McPeek, ridden by Mike Smith and saddled today by locally based trainer Karen Headley, Crazy Beautiful got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.85.
Last after the first half mile, about three lengths off speedy Lady Aces, Smith saved ground at the rail around the far turn and allowed his filly to idle a bit as longshot Plum Sexy, to his immediate outside, began to tire. Approaching the quarter pole, Smith then angled out to tackle both Lady Aces and heavily favored Soothsay, who was all-out at that point to make the lead while Crazy Beautiful didn't gain the advantage until deep stretch.
“She broke really well, I noticed in the Kentucky Oaks (on April 30), she got slammed leaving there, never really giving her the chance to run,” said Smith, who was aboard Crazy Beautiful for the first time today. “So, I knew (with) a better break and the way she's bred with Liam's Map (and an) Indian Charlie mare, she has some speed if you needed it.
“For a minute there I thought about going to the lead, but they went up there and entertained themselves enough to where I felt confident (about taking off the early pace). With a short field, I was hoping Plum Sexy would drop back and I'd get out when it was time.”
A winner of the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks two starts back on March 27, but 10th, beaten 10 ½ lengths in the G1 Kentucky Oaks April 30, Crazy Beautiful was the second choice in a field of four sophomore fillies at 6-5 and paid $4.60 and $2.10 with no show wagering.
A Kentucky-bred filly by Liam's Map out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Burn, Crazy Beautiful is owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III. In notching her second graded stakes win, she improved her overall mark to 9-4-3-0 and with the winner's share of $120,000, increased her earnings to $520,865.
“She didn't get here to my barn until eight or nine Thursday night, so we just walked her Friday morning,” said Headley. “Mike came out and galloped her Saturday, so I really didn't do much with her at all.”
A winner of her first two starts including the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 3, Soothsay sat second, just off of Lady Aces to the top of the lane and then was all-out to finally overhaul her with a sixteenth of a mile to run, at which point the winner blew by both of them.
Trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Flavien Prat, Soothsay was off at 4-5 and paid $2.10 to win while finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of a gallant Lady Aces and Umberto Rispoli.
Fractions on the race were 23.66, 48.36, 1:12.84 and 1:37.42.
First post time for special holiday racing on Memorial Day, Monday is at 1 p.m. Three G1 stakes, the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Shoemaker Mile and the Gamely will highlight a nine-race program. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
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