Del Mar: Gypsy Robin ends her meet with CERF win

DEL MAR, Calif. - Gypsy Robin began the Del Mar meeting with a disappointing fourth as the 8-5 favorite in an allowance race on July 18, the second day of the season.

She won Wednesday's $94,870 California Equine Retirement Foundation Stakes, the first race on the closing day of the meeting, for her fifth career stakes win.

Leading throughout under jockey Mike Smith, Gypsy Robin was a comfortable winner of the CERF Stakes for fillies and mares, finishing six furlongs in 1:09.59. She earned the admiration of Smith, who said he was left puzzled by her fourth-place finish on July 18.

"I don't know what happened to her last time," Smith said, leaving the winner's circle. "She never focused on the race. She was brilliant today. The last time I rode her I expected her to do this."

Gypsy Robin, who is trained by Mike Puype, set a moderate pace of 22.50 and 45.68 seconds, leading by as many as two lengths. Gypsy Robin led by a length with a furlong remaining and won by three-quarters of a length over Madame Cactus.

"The nice part is he didn't ask her," Puype said of Smith's ride.

Madame Cactus, the winner of the My Trusty Cat Stakes at Delta Downs last October, made her first start of 2013 in the CERF Stakes. She finished 3 1/4 lengths in front of Wednesday, who was followed by Curvy Cat, Big Honey Bee and Givine.

The CERF Stakes was restricted to fillies and mares who had not won a first-place purse of $50,000 in a stakes, other than statebred races, this year. The CERF Stakes was Gypsy Robin's second start of 2013.

A 4-year-old filly by Daaher, Gypsy Robin is owned by a partnership. A winner of 6 of 11 starts, Gypsy Robin has earned $558,900. In 2012, she won two Grade 2 stakes over seven furlongs at Keeneland - the Beaumont Stakes in April and the Raven Run Stakes in October.

Puype said after Wednesday's win that Gypsy Robin will run in the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes for fillies and mares over six furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 5.