Been Studying Her scores comfortably in Golden State Juvenile Fillies

ARCADIA, Calif. - Been Studying Her has taken control of the California-bred 2-year-old filly division in recent starts.

After winning the Generous Portion Stakes for statebred fillies at Del Mar in her stakes debut on Aug. 28, Been Studying Her finished fourth in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27. She returned to the California-bred division on Friday, with a comfortable win in the $201,053 Golden State Juvenile Fillies on the undercard of the first day of the Breeders’ Cup races.

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Been Studying Her ($5) stalked the pace to early stretch and pulled away to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Smith did not urge Been Studying Her in the final strides.

“It was a perfect ride,” trainer Dan Ward said. “He kept her in the clear and where she needed to be. It was a Hall of Fame ride.”

Been Studying Her, who races for owner and breeder Kevin Nish, ran seven furlongs in 1:25.25. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 72, which equals her career best.

Smith had Been Studying Her in seventh on the backstretch before moving into contention. Smiling Shirlee (5-1) closed from 10th in a field of 11 to finish second, three-quarters of a length in front of 11-1 Warren’s Showtime.

“She’s getting better each race and learning how to relax and make one run,” trainer Jeff Bonde said of Smiling Shirlee.

Cholula Lips finished fourth, followed by Bulletproof One, Mandy, Almost a Factor, Homehome, Warm Summer, Bella Renella, and Stradari.

The Golden State Juvenile Fillies was the first stake win for Ward, 60. He is the longtime assistant trainer to Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who is not permitted to start horses at Santa Anita through a decision by track management after four horses in Hollendorfer’s care were euthanized as a result of injuries sustained in racing or training from late December to June.

The Hollendorfer-Ward stable is based at Los Alamitos. Hollendorfer can run horses in his name at Los Alamitos and Del Mar.

Been Studying Her was listed as trained by Hollendorfer in her two starts at Del Mar in the summer, including a maiden race win in her debut on July 20, and by Ward at the current Santa Anita autumn meeting.

By Fast Anna, Been Studying Her has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $205,280.