Starrer Shines in Princess Stakes

Under veteran rider Chris McCarron, Starrer utilized a wide rally in the stretch to overcome favored Love At Noon en route to winning Saturday's $100,000 Princess Stakes (gr. II) by 1 1/2 lengths at Hollywood Park. The 3-year-old filly completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.90 on a fast track.

"When I had a chance to swing her out turning for home, I did," McCarron said. "I kind of wish I would have stayed inside because everybody floated out in front of me. But it didn't matter. She was the best filly in the race so she was able to overcome the little bit of a drift in the lane and still win. I liked the feeling she gave me at the sixteenth pole. She was kind of slowly getting to the leader, then, boom, all of a sudden, she ran by her."

Love At Noon finished second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Affluent. Elaine's Angel came home eight lengths farther back in fourth, followed by Bafferta and Little Firefly.

"At the top of the lane it looked like my filly was running, but so was the other filly," said winning trainer David Hofmans. "I think when they changed leads at the sixteenth pole my filly just had a little more than (Love At Noon) did. This filly I ran today was a little green, when she learns how to run, she's gonna be a really nice filly."

Bred in Kentucky by Wind Hill Farm daughter of Dynaformer, Starrer races in the colors of George Krikorian. The win was the second in seven starts for 3-year-old filly who earned her first win in April's Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita.

Starrer returned $9.80, $2.80, and $2.10 for the win. Love At Noon paid $2.20 and $2.10 and completed the $1 exacta worth $10.60. Affluent reurned $2.10 to show. (Chart, Equibase)