Cairo Memories takes early lead, keeps it in Providencia

ARCADIA, Calif. - A return to turf at Santa Anita on Saturday put Cairo Memories in the winner’s circle of a stakes race for the second time in her six-race career.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Cairo Memories took the lead shortly after the start of the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and was never troubled by five rivals, winning by 4 1/2 lengths. . Cairo Memories ($7.80) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.33 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

Cairo Memories won the Surfer Girl Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita last October in her second start and was later ninth by 2 3/4 lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in November.

Cairo Memories was later second in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes on dirt at Los Alamitos in December, but seventh of eight in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes on dirt at Santa Anita on March 6.

:: Win big at Santa Anita: Get DRF Past Performances, Picks, Clocker Reports and Betting Strategies.

“She’s definitely a better horse on turf,” Smith said.

Cairo Memories set a moderate pace of 24.08 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.31 for a half-mile, leading the Providencia field by at least a length. She widened her advantage in early stretch.

“I thought she might go to the front,” winning trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. “We did well today.”

Sterling Crest (5-2) finished second, 1 3/4 lengths in front of 22-1 Gold Dragon Queen. Eleuthera, Lucky Girl and Sixteen Arches completed the order of finish.

The $100,500 Providencia was the third win for Cairo Memories, a Cairo Prince filly who races for the partnership of David Bernsen and Schroeder Farms.

Cairo Memories has earned $292,500.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports