(from Hollywood Park)
Laragh, third-place finisher as the favorite in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT), is to be flown west from New York to compete in the $250,000 Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) on Dec. 13, trainer John Terranova said.
Terranova, speaking Dec. 5 from Florida, where he is setting up for the winter, said the Starlet, at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track, was not a long-range objective.
“We were planning to freshen her for the winter and didn’t have anything on the radar. But she has been giving us all the good signs (in training). We are going to supplement.”
Terranova said Laragh would be flown to Southern California Dec. 10.
“She breezed five-eighths on the Belmont training track (Dec. 4) in 1:02 and galloped out in 1:14 and three," he said. "She finished very strong.”
Laragh, named after a town in Ireland by breeder Mike Ryan, has won two of five starts. She broke her maiden at second asking on Polytrack at Woodbine in August and won the Jessamine Stakes on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 9.
A Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit , Laragh led all the way in both her victories. In the Jessamine, she won by 4 3/4 lengths over Habaya, who came back to win the Miesque Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Hollywood Park turf Nov. 28.
Laragh is co-owned by IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin and Pegasus Holdings, which purchased her privately after her maiden victory at Woodbine and transferred her to Terranova before the Keeneland victory. IEAH is also co-owner of Court Vision, winner of the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) last Sunday.
The gray/roan filly led most of the way in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Oct. 24, staking a half-mile on the firm course in a rapid :45 4/5 before being overtaken in the closing strides to finish third, beaten by one length by the victorious Maram.
“We came back quickly: there were only 15 days between the Jessamine and the Breeders’ Cup,” said Terranova. “I thought she ran fantastic. She did all the dirty work and just came up a length short. She doesn’t need to be on the lead, but if she happens to be on the lead, so be it. She’s never been rank.”
Edgar Prado has the Starlet call.