Reddam Racing's Absolutely Zero opted to take on the boys Saturday at Santa Anita and she answered the call, turning back a determined effort from her stablemate Tahoma to take the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity Stakes by one length.
The race was one of a pair of black-type races for 2-year-olds, including the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Debutante Stakes, won by Stone Silent.
Absolutely Zero, a Nyquist filly, covered the Futurity's five furlongs in :59.09 under Mario Gutierrez.
Trained by Doug O'Neill, who was out of town to saddle Hot Rod Charlie to a second-place finish in the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, Absolutely Zero could have run earlier in the day against fillies in the Fasig-Tipton Debutante, but the decision was made to face males at the same distance.
Quick from gate and head and head into and around the far turn with Midnight Lightning, Absolutely Zero showed tremendous heart as she repelled a stiff challenge to her outside from Tahoma the final furlong.
“She's not the fastest out of the gate (but) today, she broke really well,” said Gutierrez. “She broke with them and I tried to maintain my position and find my way to keep her in there (and) she responded really well.
“She's very gutsy. She definitely is a fighter and showed big improvement. She can only get better. The fact that she's running with the boys, you know that's what is impressive about her right now. …”
A 1 ¾-length first-out maiden winner versus open company going 4 ½ furlongs May 21, Absolutely Zero was off as the 4-5 favorite against eight males and paid $3.80.
“Nyquist is top five in the country, no doubt, if not top three,” said O'Neill assistant Steve Rothblum in regard to the winner's sire, who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) for Reddam and O'Neill. “I know we've had quite a few by him and every one of them can run. There's no bums in the group, which is amazing for a sire to consistently reproduce really nice horses and he's doing that now. Not just with us, he's doing it all over the country.
“I know we really regard (runner-up) Tahoma very highly. When they turned for home and he came at her, I thought that was a really good test and she responded so well. I mean, she dug in, not an ounce of quit in her and just kept on going on about her business and galloped away. I think it's a testament to her quality.”
Out of Reddam's multiple stakes-winning Square Eddie mare How About Zero, Absolutely Zero, now perfect in two starts, picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing her earnings to $112,260.
Tahoma, who was 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify's first North American foal to race when he broke his maiden going 4 ½ furlongs at Santa Anita on May 22, improved markedly today but was second best. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, he was the second choice at 3-1.
Florida-Bred First Time Starter Stone Silent Leads Throughout In Debutante
With heavily favored Tom's Regret stumbling badly at the start, John Sadler's first time starter Stone Silent speed to the lead and never looked back, taking the Debutante by 3 ¼ lengths.
Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Stone Silent, a $410,000 OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training sale purchase, got five furlongs in :58.28.
Tom's Regret, never headed in a pair of dazzling wins, was a joint fourth heading to the half mile pole and rallied from six lengths back turning for home to be second in a big effort under Tyler Baze.
With three gate drills on her tab, her most recent a half mile in :48 flat on June 13, Stone Silent was off as the second choice at 3-1 in a field of six juvenile fillies and paid $8.00.
“I think some of the commentators picked up on the fact that she worked (a quarter mile) in :20 (and 2/5) in the sale, so she's very quick,” said Sadler. “Ramon was good, he came out and worked her three times and knew her. We hadn't really pressed her hard in the morning. We just got her fit because we knew the speed was in there.
“She'll go into the stake program for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar. We have a couple of other ones coming along behind her, so it's good to have the first one out and get one under our belt.”
A Florida-bred daughter of Adios Charlie out of the A.P. Jet mare Travelator, Stone Silent is owned by Talla Racing LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Edwin Baker and picked up $60,000 for the victory.
“I knew she was a nice filly,” said Vazquez. “She broke good and got a good position and she responded really well. I wasn't surprised to be on the lead because she's a first timer and nobody knew this filly could run.”
Trained by Jorge Periban, Tom's Regret a California-bred filly by Tom's Tribute, broke a bit inward and stumbled out of the gate with regular rider Baze doing well to remain aboard.
Most recently victorious in versus 11 males in an ungraded stakes going five furlongs at Churchill Downs, she was off at 3-5 and finished 4 ¾ lengths in front of E Z Pharis.
Ridden by Kyle Frey, E Z Pharis broke well from the rail, was head and head with Golden Gate shipper Rousing Jewel to the top of the lane, but never threatened the winner while finishing a half length in front of longshot Dancing Mo.
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