Comanche Country remains unbeaten in U.S. with Juvenile Fillies Turf win

DEL MAR, Calif. - Comanche Country maintained a perfect record in the United States with a comfortable win in her American stakes debut in Saturday’s $103,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile.

Imported from Ireland in the summer, Comanche Country ($6.60) won the Juvenile Fillies Turf by 1 1/4 lengths, but the margin may have been deceptive. Jockey Umberto Rispoli said Comanche Country seemed to let up after reaching the front in the final sixteenth.

“She was looking around,” he said.

Comanche Country rallied from sixth in a field of 11 with a wide rally on the turn. Rispoli tracked the leaders until he urged Comanche Country into contention with slightly more than a quarter-mile remaining.

“I was traveling well on the backside,” Rispoli said. “When I felt ready to go, I swung out to make a move. She did pretty well.”

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Comanche Country was timed in 1:35.97 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 76.

Sell the Dream (9-1) finished second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of 21-1 Excelia. Sell the Dream, trained by Brian Koriner, was third on the turn but could not keep pace with Comanche Country. Sell the Dream was third in the CTBA Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies on dirt on Aug. 7 in her stakes debut.

“Brian said to break good and relax with her,” jockey Abel Cedillo said. “She’s going to be a nice filly. It was her first time going long.”

Excelia was followed by Pride of the Nile, Court Snort, Havana Angel, Candy Caramel, Thebestisyettobe, Queenzy, Sally’s Sassy and Cahuilla.

Sally’s Sassy (13-1) set a solid pace of 22.68 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.13 for a half-mile, but faded in early stretch.

Thebestisyettobe, a recent Irish import, was the 2-1 favorite. Thebestisyettobe was ninth on the backstretch and never a threat, finishing 5 1/4 lengths behind Comanche Country.

Comanche Country, by Highland Reel, races for the partnership of Little Red Feather Rcing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Comanche Country arrived in California after finishing second in a maiden race in April and last of seven in the Group 3 Naas Fillies Stakes at Naas Racecourse in May in her final start in Ireland.

Commanche Country has earned $111,287. She won her American debut in a maiden special weight race at a mile on turf under Rispoli on July 30.