A Flashy-looking score in the Surfer Girl
by BRIS
Date Posted: 10/8/2012 9:19:12 PM
Last Updated: 10/12/2012 5:28:04 PM

Riley Racing Stables' Flashy Ways rolled past the leaders turning into the stretch and kicked away in Monday's $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita, propelling herself into the picture for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"I think she's eligible (for the Breeders' Cup) -- I have to check," trainer Richard Baltas said.

According to the eligibility check on the Breeders' Cup website, however, Flashy Ways was not nominated. She'd have to be made eligible for a fee of $100,000.

Dispatched at odds of 7-1, Flashy Ways was coming off a $50,000 maiden claiming romp in her debut at Del Mar. That 5 1/4-length triumph was accomplished versus lesser in a 5 1/2-furlong dash on Polytrack. Flashy Ways was trying a route, and turf, on the class hike, and she handled her assignment with aplomb.

With Joe Talamo back aboard, the daughter of Catienus raced in midpack in a strung-out field. The front-running Upbeat Mood zipped through fractions of :22 4/5 and :46 2/5, but her nearest pursuers, Bares Tripper and Truly Marie, drew alongside her at the six-furlong mark in 1:10 2/5.

Flashy Ways was likewise gaining ground on the outside and soon took dead aim on the top three. Swinging into the stretch, she shot past them and opened up by daylight. Flashy Ways crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths to the good of the late-running Wishing Gate, posting a final time of 1:34 2/5 for the firm-turf mile and furnishing mutuels of $16.40, $6.20 and $5.20.

"We just had a perfect trip," Talamo said. "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. Richard (Baltas) 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."

"I had a really good trip," Wishing Gate's rider Garrett Gomez said, "but I had to wait a little bit at the quarter-pole. Joe (Talamo) moved out and cut me a little close, but after I turned for home I had all the time in the world to go get the leader. That other filly just ran really good today. My filly is coming around; she's just learning what it's about. These are young babies and it's all a learning process for them. Hopefully she'll learn from it and move forward."

Wishing Gate was best of the rest by 1 1/2 lengths from Somethingabouther. Bares Tripper checked in fourth, trailed by Truly Marie, Upbeat Mood and the eased Egyptian Femme.

Flashy Ways, a bargain $3,500 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October yearling, has now bankrolled $81,600 from her two-for-two mark.

Bred by Chad Reed in Kentucky, Flashy Ways was produced by the Carson City mare Golden Kitty. The chestnut filly counts as her third dam That's My Hon, ancestress of champion turf horse Kitten's Joy, multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Precious Kitten, champion juvenile filly Dreaming of Anna, multiple Grade 2 heroes Lewis Michael and Justenuffhumor and Grade 1 victor Down the Aisle.

"This is what she wants to do, (go) long on the turf," Baltas said.

"She's really bred for the turf," the trainer added, mentioning her relatives Precious Kitten and Kitten's Joy, "so I knew she wanted to go long on the grass."

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