From Last to First, Lisa M Lands Arlington Lassie

Last at the head of the stretch, 35-1 shot Lisa M picked her way between rivals for jockey Carlos Marquez Jr. to arrive in time for a nose victory over Sutra in the $120,000 Arlington-Washington Breeders' Cup Lassie (gr. III) for 2-year-old fillies at rainy Arlington Park Sunday.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time in her three-race career by trainer David Kassen, the Larry D. Bielfeldt Kentucky homebred won the one-turn mile in 1:38 4/5 on sloppy going, paying $73, $22 and $9.60.

Marquez picked up his second graded stakes win of the weekend in clutch fashion after piloting Lothenbach Stable's Vacare to Saturday's Pucker Up Stakes (gr. IIIT) victory.

"They told me to break out of the gate, ease her back because there was a lot of speed in the race, save a lot of ground, and call her when I was ready," he said. "When I called her, she gave me everything she had."

Sutra ($9.20, $6.80), who rallied five wide for the homestretch under Shaun Bridgmohan, just failed to last while finishing a half-length in front of Call the Kitty ($9.40) and Eusebio Razo Jr.

Sutra came up on the short end of a very tight win photo and had to settle for the place money.

"My filly fought all the way until the end," Bridgmohan said. "I thought it could go either way."

Change Up, the 4-5 favorite in the field of eight, gave way in the stretch and finished seventh.

Sea the Joy set a quick early pace – :22 3/5 and :45 – under strong pressure from Change Up and Nola Star. She continued to lead by a head after completing six furlongs in 1:11 2/5, but all three pace horses backed up quickly in the stretch. Lisa M, saving ground near the rail into the stretch run, began to move up and was third, less than two lengths behind the closing Sutra at the furlong marker.

Lisa M, a chestnut daughter of Banker's Gold--Lords Guest (Lord At War), won her debut at Arlington by five lengths over a maiden special weight field going 5 1/2 furlongs July 14. Five weeks later, she ran fourth, 12 lengths to the rear of Sea the Joy, in Arlington's Top Flight. She earned $60,000 Sunday.

Natalicat finished fourth, followed by Nola Star, Lenaro, Change Up, and Sea the Joy. Littlebitabling and Dreaming of Anna scratched.

(Chart, Equibase)