Back to sprint and winner's circle for Big Sweep in Fleet Treat
Big Sweep returned to a sprint and returned to the winner’s circle on Friday as Del Mar returned to action. She bounced back from the first loss of her career in her prior start to take the $117,500 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies as Del Mar resumed racing after last week’s cancellation owing to 15 jockeys testing positive for coronavirus.
Big Sweep, who has raced exclusively against statebreds, won the first two starts of her career earlier this year at Santa Anita going six furlongs, including against males in the Echo Eddie on May 16. She suffered the first loss of her brief career when third last time out in the Melair going 1 1/16 miles, also at Santa Anita.
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Back around one turn for the seven-furlong Fleet Treat, Big Sweep also benefited by landing the outside post over a main track whose profile early on Friday tended to favor outside lanes. With regular rider Flavien Prat aboard, Big Sweep stalked the early pace of Loud Loud Music down the backstretch and around the far turn, took the lead when Loud Loud Music began to retreat approaching the quarter pole, and safely held off a mild bid from Been Studying Her to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths.
Big Sweep covered seven furlongs on the fast, dull surface in 1:24.44
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Smiling Shirlee was another two lengths back in third, and Loud Loud Music trailed. Warren’s Showtime was scratched in order to go on turf on Saturday in the Grade 2 San Clemente, thus leaving a field of four.
Owing to the small field, there was no show wagering. Big Sweep, the favorite – as she has been in all four of her starts -- paid $4.60 to win.
Big Sweep, a daughter of Mr. Big, was purchased as a yearling at Barretts October for $40,000 by the Cohen family’s Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal. She is trained by Mark Glatt.