Fast and Shiny was very fast and very shiny winning the Angels Flight. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Mike Willman/Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— In her first try down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course, Fast and Shiny blasted off from her outside post and although she was tiring in deep stretch, prevailed by a half-length in Sunday’s $100,000 Angels Flight Stakes. Ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo and trained by Bob Baffert, Fast and Shiny got about 6 ½ furlongs in 1:13.19.
With a one length advantage on Teena Ella approaching the dirt crossing at the top of the stretch, Fast and Shiny was able to gain a two-length separation as Teena Ella ducked out a bit prior to coming back on to the turf three sixteenths of a mile and from there, Fast and Shiny, with her ears pinned, kept to her task to prevail in a game effort.
A six furlong allowance winner in similar fashion on dirt here on Feb. 19, Fast and Shiny had been off the board in her previous two turf tries—both at one mile. Off at 7-1 in a field of five sophomore fillies today, Fast and Shiny paid $17.20, $7.20 and $3.00.
“I did what Bob told me to do,” said Cedillo. “’Just break good and go from there,’ so that’s what I did. In the warm-up, I took her a couple of times across the dirt so that way, she knew and when we crossed it, she didn’t do anything wrong.
“I think she likes six furlongs, six and a half is just a little too long, but she handled it pretty well today. I have to thank Bob and the owners for the opportunities. When he gives me an opportunity, I take it. I just always keep a positive attitude and work hard.”
A 3-year-old filly by Bernardini out of the Lion Hearted mare Spotted Heart, Fast and Shiny is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. In getting her first stakes win, she picked up $60,000, increasing her earnings to $193,700 while improving her overall race record to 7-3-0-1.
Trained by Richard Mandella and out of the multiple Eclipse Champion mare Beholder, Teena Ella seemed to find her best stride late in what was her first try down the hill and against winners. Off at 3-1 with Kazushi Kimura up, she finished 1 ½ lengths in front of favored Manhattan Jungle and paid $4.60 and $2.60.
Juan Hernandez, who rode Manhattan Jungle, lodged a claim of four against Kimura for alleged interference at the dirt crossing, but the stewards let the result stand. Off at 4-5, Manhattan Jungle, a recent stakes winner over the course, appeared comprised by a moderate pace and paid $2.10 to show while finishing three quarters of a length better than Broadway Girls.
Fractions on the race were 22.38, 44.56 and 1:07.02.
First post time for a special eight-race card on Monday is at 1 p.m.
