Enola Gray towers over rivals in Fleet Treat Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. – Enola Gray has easily won both of her starts to date with speed figures that tower over her challengers in the $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes on Friday at Del Mar. And she might be even better now than she was in those prior races.
“She’s improved from race to race, and her last three or four breezes have been very impressive,” said trainer Phil D’Amato. “I’m excited to run her.”
Looking to beat her? Good luck. Enola Gray likely will be the shortest price of the young meet and a potential free bingo space in the pick six and pick four.
Enola Gray beat maidens in her debut April 10 at Santa Anita going 6 1/2 furlongs, then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles to win the Melair Stakes on May 28. Both races were against California-bred 3-year-old fillies, and D’Amato chose to keep her in that condition for the seven-furlong Fleet Treat, whose spacing he liked from the Melair.
“She’s a lighter-made filly, but she’s put weight on,” he said. “From her debut until now, she’s probably put on 50 pounds, and put it on the right way. On her frame, you can tell.”
There are six others entered in the Fleet Treat. D’Amato may have the second choice in Allsquare, who was second to Enola Gray in the Melair. The Fleet Treat goes as race 7 on the eight-race card.
KEY CONTENDERS
Enola Gray, by Grazen
Career Beyers: 94-99
◗ Bred and owned by Nick Alexander, she served notice in her debut that she was of high quality, with a 16 1/4-length victory that produced a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
◗ She won without being asked for her best in the Melair.
◗ She is ideally drawn on the outside, the perfect spot in a small field coming out of the seven-furlong chute.
Allsquare, by Square Eddie
Last 3 Beyers: 90-67-74
◗ She ran the best race of her seven-race career when finishing second to Enola Gray in the Melair while well clear of Cheekaboo, who exited that race to win her next start against open company in the Grade 2 Honeymoon.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Allsquare and No. 7 Enola Gray. Trainer Phil D'Amato is 20-1-3-2 with a $0.18 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint at Del Mar. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Run for Retts, by Ministers Wild Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 72-81-67
◗ Tyler Baze rode her in her last four starts, but he understandably sided with Enola Gray, so Flavien Prat – who rode her to a second-place finish against allowance company earlier this year – gets the call.
◗ She has finished in the money in her last four dirt sprints, including a third-place finish against open allowance company last time out.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Run for Retts. Trainer Steven Miyadi is 15-5-2-1 with a $3.29 ROI over the past five years taking blinkers off in dirt sprints in Southern California. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Fantasy of Luck, by Lucky Pulpit
Last 3 Beyers: 78-73-19
◗ She has won both of her starts this year since returning from a seven-month layoff.