The inaugural running of the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes for
2-year-old fillies at one mile on turf produced an upset, as Riley
Racing Stables’
Flashy Ways won going away by 2 ½ lengths under Joe
Talamo in 1:34.45.
Trained by Richard Baltas, the Kentucky-bred by Catienus sat a
close fifth in the field of seven early and was a length off the lead
going to the quarter pole. A brisk pace of 22.95, 46.47, 1:10.47 and
1:22.59 was carved out by 3-1 second choice Upbeat Mood and David
Flores, Bares Tripper and Martin Pedroza, and Truly Marie, with Martin
Garcia up.
“We just had a perfect trip,” said Talamo. “Three of them went
out there in a speed duel and we just sat behind. Then turning for home
I turned her out and had a lot of horse. She’s bred up and down for
the turf on her dam’s side.”
Talamo had also ridden Flashy Ways in her maiden $50,000 claiming score going 5 ½ furlongs on Polytrack Aug. 16 at Del Mar.
“Richard has done a great job with her. She was fit and ready to
go today. Again, I just had a perfect trip with a good horse
underneath.”
Flashy Ways paid $16.40, $6.20 and $5.20.
Undefeated in two starts, Flashy Ways picked up $60,000 for her Surfer Girl win, extending her bankroll to $81,600.
Runnerup Wishing Gate, who was the 2-1 post time favorite,
settled next to last early, split horses in midstretch and finished
strongly under Garrett Gomez but did not threaten the winner while
finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of third-place finisher Somethingabouther
and Victor Espinoza.
Wishing Gate paid $4.20 and $2.80, while Somethingabouther returned $4.80 to show.