Faypien makes Summertime Oaks first graded stakes win

ARCADIA, Calif. - Faypien won her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita, avoiding the traffic problem in the stretch that greatly affected race favorite It Tiz Well.

Faypien ($9) was well-placed throughout and held off a late threat from 10-1 Mopotism to win the $201,035 race at 1 1/16 miles by a head.

Mopotism finished a half-length in front of 17-1 Spooky Woods, who was disqualified and placed fifth for altering course in the stretch, an incident that forced jockey Mike Smith to check It Tiz Well at a pivotal point in the race. The stewards ruled Spooky Woods angled to the inside and caused interference.

As a result of the disqualification, Majestic Quality was promoted to third and followed in the official order of finish by It Tiz Well, Spooky Woods, Sheza Chattykat, Goseecal and Noted and Quoted.

The tough trip by It Tiz Well left Smith frustrated. It Tiz Well, sent off at 6-5, was rank on the first turn and steadied on the backstretch. Smith had her behind the leaders in early stretch when her rally was interrupted.

“I was much the best,” Smith said. “She was so rank in the first turn.”

The Summertime Oaks was Faypien’s third consecutive win for Susan and Charles Chu’s Baoma Corp. and trainer Bob Baffert. By Ghostzapper, Faypien beat maidens at seven furlongs April 23 in her second start and won her stakes debut in the minor Angels Flight Stakes at seven furlongs May 14.

Rafael Bejarano rode Faypien in the Summertime Oaks, and had the filly in a stalking position behind pacesetter Sheza Chattykat to early stretch before taking a narrow lead. Mopotism, who was 10th in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5, offered a stern challenge in the final furlong, but could not get by Faypien.

“She really ground it out and is tough,” Baffert said. “She was all-out to beat them. Rafael rode a great race and had her in the race the whole way.”

Faypien, the second choice in a field of eight, was timed in 1:43.17.

“She never stopped and tried every step,” Bejarano said.

Faypien has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $205,680. She was purchased for $720,000 at the 2016 Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in April of that year.