Fantastic Style fires fresh in Las Flores

ARCADIA, Calif. – Fantastic Style returned on Sunday from an eight-month layoff looking better than ever, as she cruised to a four-length victory in the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes for older female sprinters at Santa Anita.

Her task certainly was made easier by the scratch of the expected second choice, Sensitively, but there likely was no stopping Fantastic Style ($3), who ripped through six furlongs in 1:08.79 for her fifth victory in seven starts.

“That filly had been ready to run for a while. I was looking for other races to fill, but they didn’t, and this came up,” said Bob Baffert, who trains Fantastic Style for owner Kaleem Shah.

Rafael Bejarano rode Fantastic Style, who stalked leader Amaranth through fractions of 22.09 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.66 for a half-mile before surging to the lead.

Ben’s Duchess closed from last in the five-horse field to finish second, 3 3/4 lengths in front of Cadet Roni. Finest City was fourth, and Amaranth faded to last.

Fantastic Style, 4, is by Harlan’s Holiday. She captured the Grade 2 Great Lady M last year at Los Alamitos before going to the sidelines.