Brighter days ahead for Bartok's Bling

POMONA, Calif. - A filly who lost her debut by more than 16 lengths while earning a 44 Beyer Speed Figure has no chance Wednesday in the $65,000 Black Swan Stakes at Fairplex Park.

So goes the primitive, one-dimensional analysis of longshot Bartok's Bling.

But in the overflow field of 2-year-old fillies who will race 1 1/16 miles on dirt in the Black Swan, there is no brighter prospect than Bartok's Bling, a second-time starter for whom her connections have high hopes.

"I think she's going to be a pretty good filly," said trainer Jorge Gutierrez, who rarely is prone to hyperbole. And if Bartok's Bling follows in the footsteps of her older sibling, the sky is the limit.

A daughter of Bartok, Bartok's Bling is a full sister to 2000 California Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Euro Empire, who won three races and $281,145 from 10 starts as a 2-year-old. Bartok's Bling was not acting anything like her sister until Gutierrez outfitted her in blinkers

"She wasn't showing much until she put blinkers on," Gutierrez said.

Based on pedigree and improved works, Bartok's Bling was bet to 13-1 in her debut, a one-mile maiden special weight race against open company. She pressed a fast pace, was still battling for the lead at the quarter pole, and then weakened. It was a good race.

"Obviously, she needed the race," said Gutierrez, who trains Bartok's Bling for breeder Morry Cohen.

The question Wednesday is how much improvement Bartok's Bling will produce in the Black Swan, which is a prep race for the $125,000 California Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 28 at Oak Tree. Gutierrez said he expects her to improve with blinkers off.

David Cohen rides Bartok's Bling, who is worth a gamble if she starts anywhere near her 8-1 track odds. Bartok's Bling earned a strong pace figure in her debut and is the only Black Swan starter who has raced a distance of ground on the main track.

Spenditallbaby is the 5-2 track favorite following back-to-back grass wins. Trained by Barry Abrams, Spenditallbaby was sired by Unusual Heat, whose offspring are most effective on turf.

Kimmy Potter "acts like she is dying to go long," trainer Gary Stute said. Kimmy Potter has won 1 of 8 and showed an affinity for Fairplex with a maiden sprint win on Sept. 20.

Other leading contenders include Swiss Rose, runner-up in a Cal-bred stakes at Del Mar, and Miss Melissa, runner-up six days ago in a stakes at Fairplex. The rest of the field is Hello Bolly, Stormin Jo Jo, Nushka Babee, Dar C. Alltheway, and Qui's Determined.