Comanche Country points to BC Juvenile Fillies Turf after Surfer Girl triumph

ARCADIA, Calif. - Comanche Country has produced three identical performances in as many starts in one-mile turf races in the United States. She stalks, moves and wins.

Along the way, the races have been more important. Comanche Country beat maidens in her American debut on July 30, won the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 10, and Sunday’s Grade 3 Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

The win in the $201,500 Surfer Girl Stakes puts Comanche Country on schedule for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 4.

“She’s very handy and she’s steadily getting better,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She’s a dream to train. I’m looking forward to running her at Keeneland.”

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Comanche Country ($3.60) won the Surfer Girl Stakes by a half-length over a stubborn stretch leader in 7-2 Sell the Dream. Rispoli had Comanche Country in fifth in a field of eight for the first half-mile, racing on the inside. Rispoli moved Comanche Country off the rail entering the stretch. Comanche Country passed Sell the Dream in the last sixteenth.

:: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF PPs, Clocker Reports, Picks, and more. Shop Now.

Sell the Dream, second in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of 43-1 Bolt’s Broad, who closed with interest through the final furlong.

Comanche Country was timed in 1:35.20 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 73.

Fast and Shiny, supplemented to the Surfer Girl for $4,000, finished fourth, followed by Queenzy, Bolts Babe, Court Snort and Excelia.

Excelia (5-1) was third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in her American debut for D’Amato. She was well placed for the first half-mile of the Surfer Girl Stakes before fading.

“I was expecting her to run well,” D’Amato said. “I didn’t anticipate that performance. We’ll see if we can find an excuse.”

Comanche Country has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $231,287. Owned by the partnership of the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, Comanche Country was second by a nose in a maiden race and seventh in the Group 3 Naas Fillies Stakes in her first two starts in Ireland in April and May.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.