Shameful Shows Way in Pine Tree Lane

Shameful swept past the tiring leaders in mid stretch and then held off Wild Tickle to post a one-length victory Wednesday in the $78,650 Pine Tree Lane Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita Park.

Shameful, the longest price on the board, ran six furlongs in 1:10.31 and paid $20.40, $7.60 and $3.20. Bob Baffert is the trainer for Hal Earnhardt III of Phoenix Az.

Wild Tickle, with Gary Stevens riding at 116 pounds, rallied from last to finish second and returned $5.20 and $2.40. Brisquette, the 11-10 betting favorite ridden by Corey Nakatani at 116 pounds, was a half-length back in third and paid $2.20 for show.

Pace setters Secret Liaison and Maria's Mirage tired from their early efforts and finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

It was the 10th stakes victory of the meeting for Baffert, and he owns a 38-23 lead over Jeff Mullins in the overall trainer standings. Baffert is bidding for an unprecedented seventh straight winter/spring championship.

Shameful, who normally shows more speed, was reserved in third place, some five lengths off the pace, as Maria's Mirage and Secret Liaison dueled through fractional times of :21.23 and :44.02.

Shameful gradually reeled in Maria's Mirage and Secret Liaison. The winner gained the lead in mid stretch and then held off late bids from Wild Tickle and Brisquette.

A 4-year-old Florida-bred by Flying Chevron, Shameful is 4-3-2 from 12 starts. The $47,190 first prize pushed her earnings to $241,345.

(Chart, Equibase)