Elm Drive's strategy change pays off in Angels Flight

ARCADIA, Calif. - Elm Drive went from an expected role as a supporting player to the main attraction in the stretch of Sunday’s $79,400 Angels Flight Stakes at Santa Anita.

Early Sunday, odds-on morning-line favorite Eda was withdrawn after she was treated on Saturday for an elevated temperature, trainer Sean McCarthy said. Eda has won her last four starts, including the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos last December and her lone start this year in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes on March 6.

Elm Drive was one of five remaining 3-year-old fillies in the seven-furlong Angels Flight and made her presence known immediately after the start by taking the lead.

Ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, Elm Drive ($6) pulled clear in early stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths for the Little Red Feather Racing partnership and trainer Phil D’Amato.

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When entries were finalized, D’Amato projected that Elm Drive would be stalking Eda. Strategy changed with the scratch.

“We were going to be sitting second,” he said. “She broke on top and won the race that way. Ricky did a good job to keep her in the clear.”

Elm Drive, who set a modest pace of 23.59 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.66 for a half-mile, was timed in 1:23.97. Elm Drive earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83.

Kirstenbosch, the winner of a maiden special weight race at 1 1/8 miles on turf on April 8, closed from last under jockey Tyler Baze to finish second at 2-1 in her stakes debut. Kirstenbosch finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of Empire Gal, the 9-5 favorite.

“There was no pace,” Baze said. “She was running down the lane.”

Unsolved Mystery finished fourth, with Classical Romance last of five.

Elm Drive, by Mohaymen, has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $195,640. Last summer, Elm Drive won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar, but was later seventh in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs and seventh in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles before she was rested over the winter.

The win in the Angels Flight Stakes is likely to lead to more sprint stakes, D’Amato said.

“That was the perfect comeback,” he said, leaving the winner’s circle.

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