Fashionably Fast surprises his trainer yet again

DEL MAR, Calif. - Fashionably Fast won the 10th race of his 32-race career at Del Mar on Saturday, ending a five-race losing streak that at times left trainer Dean Pederson questioning whether the 7-year-old could compete at a higher level.

As Fashionably Fast fought past several rivals to win a six-furlong allowance race by a head, Pederson knew fully well that the gelding is still competitive.

“It’s like the Fountain of Youth,” Pederson said. “The amazing thing about the horse he’s never lost his enthusiasm for training.

“He does well down here in the summer. You think the end is near, and he jumps up and does something like that.”

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Fashionably Fast was second in two stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos in late May and late June. The allowance race was Fashionably Fast’s first win since a victory in the Harris Farms Stakes for California-breds at six furlongs at the Big Fresno Fair last October.

The same $75,000 race on Oct. 8 is on Fashionably Fast’s schedule this fall.

A six-time stakes winner, Fashionably Fast races for the partnership of John Harris, Per Antonsen and John Nicoletti. Harris operates Harris Farms in Coalinga, a leading cattle and Thoroughbred breeding operation in the state.

Harris was at Del Mar over the weekend and visited Pederson’s stable on Sunday morning.

Fashionably Fast, who has earned $804,143, was in good spirits a day after his win.

“He’s pretty proud of himself,” Pederson said.

The 60-year-old Pederson was beaming on Sunday morning, too. His 10-horse stable is in the midst of an outstanding summer, winning with five of his first eight runners at the Del Mar meeting, including Carmelita’s Man in the California Dreamin’ Stakes on Aug. 6. Carmelita’s Man is entered in an allowance race on Friday.

“We thought we could have a decent meet,” Pederson said. “It’s been unbelievable. Every horse that has walked over there has stepped up and done their job.”