Faypien possible for G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga

ARCADIA, Calif. - Faypien won her graded stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita, a distance that may not figure in her plans in coming months.

Trainer Bob Baffert considers Faypien to be equally effective at shorter distances.

“It was important to get that Grade 2 in her,” Baffert said. “I wouldn’t be afraid to back her up to one turn.”

Baffert mentioned the Grade 1 Test Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Aug. 5 as a possible race for Faypien.

Owned by Susan and Charles Chu’s Baoma Corp., Faypien ($9) won her third consecutive start in the $201,035 Summertime Oaks, edging 10-1 Mopotism by a head. Faypien was second for the first six furlongs and held a narrow advantage through the final furlong.

“Is she gutty, or what?” Baffert said.

Faypien won her second start in a maiden race at seven furlongs April 23 and her stakes debut in the Angels Flight Stakes at seven furlongs May 14.

Baffert had two runners in the Summertime Oaks and was left stunned by the last-place finish by Noted and Quoted under jockey Martin Garcia. Noted and Quoted won the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles last October and was second in the Angels Flight.

“I was disappointed,” Baffert said. “She was training so well. Martin kept telling me she didn’t want to go that far. First and last – that’s me.”

Faypien and 9-2 Noted and Quoted were the second and third choices behind 6-5 favorite It Tiz Well, who had a rough trip to finish fifth. It Tiz Well was rank on the first turn and steadied on the backstretch. In the final furlong, It Tiz Well encountered more trouble when Spooky Woods drifted to the inside and forced jockey Mike Smith to check It Tiz Well.

Spooky Woods was disqualified and placed fifth, behind It Tiz Well, who was promoted to fourth. Spooky Woods and It Tiz Well are trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.

“What can you do?” Hollendorfer said Sunday.