Fashionably Fast goes after second Cary Grant Stakes win

DEL MAR, Calif. – For four seasons now, Fashionably Fast has been a mainstay of trainer Dean Pederson’s barn, and they’ll try to keep the good times rolling on Sunday at Del Mar when Fashionably Fast attempts to win the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes for the second time in three years.

Fashionably Fast, 6, will be making his 27th start and is in search of his 10th win, one of which came in the 2019 Cary Grant, a seven-furlong race for California-bred 3-year-olds and up. A victory Sunday would bring his career earnings to just shy of $750,000. He’s finished in the money in 21 of his 26 starts.

“If only I had 10 more like him,” Pederson said Friday morning as Fashionably Fast, a gelding, headed out to train. “But I’m glad I’ve got him. He’s been so consistent for so long. We’ll enjoy it while we can. He’s been a godsend for me. I don’t get half-million-dollar babies.”

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Fashionably Fast landed the rail.

“Can we re-draw the race?” Pederson said.

He has six rivals, including Loud Mouth, who won this race last year. Loud Mouth is returning to the main track after a poor try down the hill at Santa Anita last month.

The quality of contenders runs deeper than the last two winners of the race, though.

Colt Fiction beat Fashionably Fast in an allowance race here during the summer meet, then most recently was fourth behind top-flight sprinters Dr. Schivel, Flagstaff, and C Z Rocket in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. In an old-school move, trainer Bill Spawr blew him out right when the track opened Friday morning, three furlongs in 38.60 seconds.

“He’s run well before doing that,” Spawr said. “He gets over this track pretty well.”

Positivity, 3, earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97 winning a first-level allowance against older runners last month at Santa Anita. He owns two wins and a second in five starts at Del Mar.

“He likes this track,” said his trainer, Doug O’Neill. “He’s doing well. The race came up salty, but on his best day he can be pretty salty, too.”

None Above the Law is an intriguing turn-back play. He romped at this distance during the summer meet in the Real Good Deal against fellow 3-year-olds when exiting a two-turn grass race. He was eighth most recently in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby. None Above the Law also is entered in the Zia Park Derby on Tuesday, but Ruben Alvarado – who will soon take over for his boss, Peter Miller – on Friday said None Above the Law remains here for the Cary Grant.

Peaceful Transfer cuts back to a sprint after going two turns in his last three starts. He won his only try at seven furlongs, in February 2018 at Santa Anita when beating $25,000 claimers.

Principe Carlo, who drew the outside post and completes the field, is making his second start following a 55-week layoff. He was second in his comeback, a first-level allowance for California-breds at Santa Anita.

The Cary Grant is race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.