Buffythecenterfold best in Railbird

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Buffythecenterfold ($2.80) scored a workmanlike victory Sunday at Hollywood Park in the Grade 3 Railbird Stakes, winning the seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies by one length over pacesetter Honest Answer. Dash For Money, coupled with the winner, finished third. They were followed by, in order, Himalayan, Hostility and Lucky Sabre.

The Railbird was the fifth win from eight starts for Buffythecenterfold, trained by Mel Stute and owned by Allen Brian and Frank Stronach. Victor Espinoza rode the winner, who completed the seven furlongs in an ordinary 1:22.54. The Hollywood track was labeled fast and produced extraordinarily quick times throughout the card. As such, the final clocking of the Railbird was unimpressive from a speed-figure perspective. Her time was only three-tenths of a second (.30) faster than maiden-claimers in the next race. Buffythecenterfold, who benefited from a perfect trip in third, finished on her wrong lead.

Stute said there are a variety of options for Buffythecenterfold's next start. They include the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks at a mile and a sixteenth on June 14; the Grade 3, six-furlong Azalea Breeders' Cup Sprint at Calder on July 12; and the Grade 1, seven-furlong Test Stakes at Saratoga on July 26. Buffythecenterfold, a filly by Capote, is named after Buffy Tyler, the November 2000 Playmate of the Month. She was in attendance Sunday.