Chasing Yesterday digs deep to win Starlet

CYPRESS, Calif. – Chasing Yesterday is doing her part to keep up with her older half-brother American Pharoah.

Saturday at Los Alamitos, Chasing Yesterday won her third consecutive stakes, and first Grade 1, in the $300,345 Starlet. It was not an easy win.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Chasing Yesterday ($5) was fully extended to beat the recent maiden winner Enaya Alrabb by a head. The Starlet was Chasing Yesterday’s first start at 1 1/16 miles.

“She had to dig in,” Van Dyke said. “She was blowing afterward. She’ll be better from that.”

The Starlet completed a memorable day for Van Dyke, 24. He won two Grade 1 races on the same program for the first time. Earlier in the day, Van Dyke won the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on the undefeated colt Improbable.

Chasing Yesterday and Improbable are trained by Bob Baffert, who swept the two Grade 1 races on the same program for the second consecutive year.

By Tapit out of Littleprincessemma, Chasing Yesterday is a half-sister to American Pharoah, who won the 2015 Triple Crown and was Horse of the Year that season.

In the Starlet, Chasing Yesterday was timed in 1:42.59, closing from last with a wide rally. Chasing Yesterday earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

Mother Mother, also trained by Baffert, set a decent pace of 23.05 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.07 for a half-mile, leading by a half-length over Sold It.

Van Dyke moved Chasing Yesterday into contention with a four-wide move on the turn, and needed the entire stretch to get in front of Enaya Alrabb.

“Drayden loves this filly,” Baffert said. “He had to work for this one.”

Enaya Alrabb, who was third for the first six furlongs, was ridden by Mike Smith. A maiden race winner at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, Enaya Alrabb was the 30-1 second-longest choice in the race.

“I knew she’d run well,” Smith said. “I didn’t know she’s run that well.”

Mother Mother, who won the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2, finished a neck behind Enaya Alrabb, and was beaten less than a half-length.

“The other horse was so wide I thought Mother Mother would get there,” Baffert said, commenting on Chasing Yesterday’s trip.

Oxy Lady, who won the Grade 3 Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 2, finished fourth, followed by Sold It and Vibrance, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Vibrance was urged by jockey Flavien Prat on the turn and was not a factor in the stretch.

Chasing Yesterday races for Summer Wind Equine and has won 4 of 5 starts and earned $324,250. Chasing Yesterday won a maiden special weight race in her debut at Santa Anita on July 28 and was seventh as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 1.

Chasing Yesterday is unbeaten in three subsequent starts – the Anoakia Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 14, the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 12, and the Starlet.