Santa Rosa: She Spirit di Su scores first stakes win in Jack Demeo

William G Vassar/Vassar Photography

She Spirit di Su wins the Jack Demeo Horseman of the Year Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.

She Spirit di Su gave owner Fergus Galvin a quick return on his investment when the 3-year-old Irish-bred filly scored her first stakes victory Saturday in the $55,950 Jack Demeo Horseman of the Year Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.

She Spirit di Su ($15.80) hit the board in both starts in Great Britain as a 2-year-old before coming to the United States. She won her U.S. debut in a one-mile maiden race at Santa Anita on Jan. 13, but had not threatened in two stakes starts and a pair of allowance tries. Dropped into a $40,000 claimer at Del Mar on July 19, she was claimed as she rallied for second, losing by only a head.

In the Jack Demeo, she broke alertly, but jockey Julien Couton allowed her to slip back to midpack. Couton patiently let her sit in midpack as Good Mango, the longest shot on the board, set a slow pace.

Couton was content to sit back to the second turn, when he began to allow her to move into contention. He moved three wide into the lane, pulled clear, and was never seriously challenged by favored Light Up the Sky, who finished 1 3/4 lengths back.

Winning time for the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies was 1:46.58.

Ms. Pianist finished third.

She Spirit di Su, a daughter of Invincible Spirit trained by Edward Freeman, earned $32,300 to lift her career total to $79,036 with two wins in nine starts.