Chati's On Top comes off layoff to win Solana Beach

DEL MAR, Calif. – The initial plan this summer at Del Mar was to run Chati’s On Top in the Osunitas Handicap the first week of the meet as a prep for the Solana Beach Handicap. But rain that weekend moved the Osunitas to the main track, and Chati’s On Top was scratched, forcing her to come into the Solana Beach on Sunday without a race in nearly three months.

It did not matter because trainer Mike Puype had her ready. Chati’s On Top, eighth of nine the first part of the race, unleashed a strong closing kick to rally for the victory in the one-mile grass race for older female California-bred turf runners.

Chati’s On Top ($13.80) beat Chaulk O Lattey by 1 1/2 lengths, giving the Little Red Feather Racing partnership a sweep of the exacta. Mangita was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third. Smoove It, the 9-5 favorite, wound up fifth.

Santiago Gonzalez rode Chati’s On Top, who completed one mile on the firm course in 1:34.49.

“She kicked with her run,” Puype said. “She went wide, had to go around, but she was best.”

Chati’s On Top had not raced since finishing second May 23 in the Fran’s Valentine at Santa Anita.

“It was a hard decision to scratch from the Osunitas,” Puype said. “We knew it would be stretching us between starts, but we thought it was better to not run on dirt, wait, and run fresh. The Osunitas would have helped us get to the Solana Beach. As it turned out, it didn’t matter.”

Chati’s On Top, a 4-year-old daughter of Old Topper, now has won four times in 15 starts with six seconds. She earned $85,500 from a gross purse of $150,750 for a Little Red Feather partnership that includes Marsha Naify.