Fantastic Style scores front-running win in Angels Flight

ARCADIA, Calif. - Fantastic Style won the first stakes of her career in Saturday’s $79,000 Angels Flight Stakes at Santa Anita, rebounding from a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland last month.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Fantastic Style ($6.40) led throughout the seven-furlong Angels Flight for 3-year-old fillies, pulling away from four rivals in the final furlong to win by 3 1/4 lengths over 3-5 favorite Tara’s Tango. Ben’s Duchess was third, followed by Ultimate Holiday and Moons Over Me. Suva Harbor was withdrawn from the small field on Saturday morning.

Fantastic Style was timed in a quick 1:20.38 on a track that played fast early Saturday after rain on Thursday and Friday. Bejarano had Fantastic Style clear on the led through early fractions of 22.39 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.70 seconds for a half-mile.

Tara’s Tango and Ben’s Duchess were within a length of Fantastic Style on the turn, but were not a threat in the stretch.

Fantastic Style races for Kaleem Shah and trainer Bob Baffert. By Harlan’s Holiday, Fantastic Style has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $152,000. She was beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Miss Ella in the Beaumont Stakes at about seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 12 after leading to early stretch.

Fantastic Style was purchased for $525,000 at the Ocala Breeders sale of 2-year-olds in-training in April 2014.