Dressed in Hermes wins stakes debut in Zuma Beach

ARCADIA, Calif. – Missing out on starts in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 5 and a maiden race on turf Sept. 26 at Santa Anita may have been a blessing for Dressed in Hermes this fall.

Dressed in Hermes was stuck on the also-eligible list in those races and did not draw into the field. That led Dressed in Hermes to make his stakes debut Saturday in the $101,250 Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Bettors were awaiting his presence.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, Dressed in Hermes rallied from seventh in a field of 10 to win by a half-length over the 5-2 second choice I’malreadythere. Dressed in Hermes ($5.20) was ridden by Gary Stevens and was timed in 1:35.76.

The win gave trainer Janet Armstrong her first stakes win in California and the second of her career. She won the minor Irish Day Handicap in 2006 at Emerald Downs with Sophie’s Trophy.

Dressed in Hermes races for Syd Belzberg’s Budget Stable.

Dressed in Hermes had a rough run entering the first turn of the Zuma Beach Stakes, racing wide after running in traffic. Stevens had Dressed in Hermes well off the pace on the backstretch and took the lead in the final sixteenth.

“Gary was fabulous,” Armstrong said.

I’malreadythere, who finished third in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, finished a half-length in front of the 20-1 Bully Pulpit, who was third in the Contender Stakes on dirt Sept. 13 at Los Alamitos.

Lucky Bryan was fourth, followed by Getoffmyback, Coach Q, Go Long, Phantom Heat, Mighty Moses, and Freedom Hill.

Dressed in Hermes, by the Sunday Silence stallion Hat Trick, has made three starts. He was fourth and third in maiden races at Del Mar. Dressed in Hermes has earned $72,600.