Been Studying Her proves Smith right in Generous Portion
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DEL MAR, Calif. - Earlier this month, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith worked the 2-year-old filly Been Studying Her for the first time and came away with a favorable impression that crossed his mind hours before Wednesday’s $100,351 Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar.
“I was driving to work and I thought, I might be crazy, but if I don’t win I’ll be disappointed,” Smith said. “That’s how much I liked her when I got a chance to work her.”
Been Studying Her gave Smith the expected result. With a three-wide rally, Been Studying Her won her stakes debut in the Generous Portion for California-bred fillies, closing from fifth in a field of seven. Been Studying Her ran six furlongs in 1:11.56. She paid $19.20 to win.
“She did it all so easy,” Smith said.
Been Studying Her finished clear of the 8-1 runner-up Cholula Lips, who was 2 1/4 lengths in front of 13-1 Smiling Shirlee in third. The remaining order of finish was Wise Rachel, Unchain Her Heart, Bulletproof One, and Vegan.
Bulletproof One, the 3-10 favorite, led to early stretch, but faded quickly to finish 9 3/4 lengths behind Been Studying Her.
Trainer Peter Miller wrote in a text message in the minutes after the race that Bulletproof One was “flat” and had “no response.” Miller was concerned Bulletproof One might have bled or is fighting an illness.
Bulletproof One won her first three starts, including the CTBA Stakes for California-bred fillies by 6 1/4 lengths here on July 31 in her first start for Miller.
Been Studying Her, by Fast Anna, races for breeder Kevin Nish and is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer. Been Studying Her won her debut in a maiden race against open-company fillies at Sacramento on July 20. She won by a nose over Cakewalk, who subsequently won a stakes at Emerald Downs on Aug. 18.
Been Studying Her has earned $77,280 from her two wins.
“All the riders that get on her like her because she’s got such a good stride,” Hollendorfer said. “We think we’re sitting on a good horse, particularly a Cal-bred.”
