Antifona shows turf sprints to her liking, takes Sweet LIfe Stakes

Antifona had troubled trips in her first two starts in California in December, failing to finish in the first three in one-mile turf races at Del Mar and Santa Anita.

It turns out a turf sprint, and a clean trip, was all the French-bred filly needed to win the most prestigious race of her career in Sunday’s $103,000 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

In her first start in a sprint stakes since July, Antifona rallied from 10th in a field of 11 to record a minor upset in the Sweet Life Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Hector Berrios, Antifona closed with a sharp rally in the middle of the track, avoiding traffic issues that affected some rivals in the stretch.

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“It’s the first time she had a chance to run,” owner Kosta Hronis said in the winner’s circle. “Last race, Hector got off and said I should have won. He said we’d win the next one. He actually predicted this.”

Antifona ($22) was timed in 1:12.91, finishing two lengths clear of 7-1 Zona Verde. Antifona earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 80.

Alluring (5-1) finished third, but was disqualified and placed 10th for causing interference in the stretch that forced jockey Juan Hernandez to check his mount, Elegant. Hernandez lost his irons in the incident.

The stewards conducted an 11-minute inquiry before announcing the disqualification. Visually (49-1) was promoted to third, followed by Dial a Friend, Sea Dancer, Granny Budgie, Girl of My Dreams, Elegant, Alluring and Julias Dream in the amended order of finish.

Dial a Friend set a quick early pace of 21.60 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.88 for a half-mile before fading through the stretch.

Julias Dream, the 3-2 favorite, was near the front early, but failed to sustain the effort through the final three furlongs.

Antifona, by Recoletos, won for the first time in the United States in the Sweet Life Stakes. She was fourth behind Zona Verde in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar on Dec. 2, and fifth in the Blue Norther Stakes after trouble in early stretch at Santa Anita on Dec. 29.

Antifona won 2 of 7 starts in France from May to September last year, with both wins in sprints at minor tracks in a maiden race and an allowance race.

Antifonia, who has earned $120,867, was fifth in two sprint stakes against males last June and July.

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