Etoile Montante takes Palomar

DEL MAR, Calif. - Ending a three-race streak of near misses and bad luck in stakes, Etoile Montante held off a late run from a determined Katdogawn to win Saturday's $200,000 at Del Mar.

The victory marked Etoile Montante's first stakes win since the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Handicap at Santa Anita last April.

Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Etoile Montante ($5.80) stalked pacesetter Notting Hill to the final turn, took the lead in early stretch and was extended to the line to hold off Katdogawn. Tangle finished third in the field of seven fillies and mares.

Etoile Montante finished 1 1-16 miles on turf in 1:40.59, a stakes record for the Grade 2 Palomar.

"She was content to sit back there and wait for my call," Valdivia said. "She flew home. When she switched leads, I knew it would take a monster to catch me."

Owned by Juddmonte Farms and trained by Bobby Frankel, Etoile Montante has won 7 of 15 starts and $559,277. She was a troubled fourth in the Osunitas Handicap here on Aug. 11. Last year, Etoile Montante won the Group 1 Prix de la Foret against males in France.

*Muir Beach rallied on the rail in deep stretch to win her first stakes in the $81,450 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Omar Figueroa, Muir Beach ($12.60) steadied in early stretch but wore down 3-5 Resplendency to win by two lengths. Muir Beach finished a mile in 1:37.98. Owned by Dennis Weir, Muir Beach gave Figueroa and trainer Dan McFarlane their first stakes wins at Del Mar.