Finishing far behind champion Groupie Doll in her first start of the year, Heart Stealer got back to the winner's circle in the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (gr. II) March 22 at Gulfstream Park (VIDEO).
One of three runners for trainer Marty Wolfson in the seven-furlong test for older fillies and mares, Peachtree Stable's Heart Stealer was ideally placed to track front-runners Five Star Momma and Wildcat Lily from third to the top of the stretch.
Five Star Momma was first to the lead and set swift fractions of :22.47 and :45.05 through a half mile with Wildcat Lily about a length back in second and Heart Stealer in close pursuit.
With a shake of the reins from Joel Rosario, the Speightstown filly easily shifted gears, collared the leaders at the eighth pole while completing six furlongs in 1:09.50. She shook free to a two-length victory at odds of 9-2.
Stablemate My Pal Chrisy gave chase under Julien Leparoux but never got close to the winner while finishing second. Five Star Momma held for third, 1 1/2 lengths farther back, with Wildcat Lily another three-quarters of length behind in fourth.
Centrique, the 7-5 favorite and the third of Wolfson's trio, had a troubled start from post 3 and bumped with Wildcat Lily. Racing last of seven through the opening quarter, she advanced to fifth around the turn but weakened thereafter.
Heart Stealer has a 4-2-1 record from 12 career starts that includes a breakthrough graded stakes win in the Sugar Swirl Stakes (gr. III) Dec. 13, her final start of 2013. Fifth in two-time champion sprinter Groupie Doll's swan song in the Hurricane Bertie Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 9 at Gulfstream, she rebounded off that effort for a convincing win in the Inside Information.
Wolfson he was baffled by her fifth in the Hurricane Bertie.
"I think she just wasn't right in her last race," Wolfson said. "Since that race, she's been like she was before she (won) the Sugar Swirl. I really thought she would beat Groupie Doll that day (in the Hurricane Bertie). That's how good I thought she was. She just wasn't herself.
"Joel (Rosario) gave her a perfect ride. I told him to just throw out her last race, because she's the best of all the fillies I have."
Time for the seven furlongs was 1:22.57 on a fast track.
Carrying 119 pounds, Heart Stealer paid $11.80, $5.80 and $4, while My Pal Chrisy brought $5 and $4.30. Five Star Momma returned $5.40.
Zia Zia Zia and Toasting finished sixth and seventh to complete the order of finish.
Heart Stealer, who was bred in Kentucky by Dr. William Baker's Fairlawn Farm, is out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Saratoga Humor. Peachtree's John Fort purchased the chestnut filly for $300,000 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale from the consignment of Dromoland Farm, agent.
