Fertile flies in Vallejo Stakes

ALBANY, Calif. - Fertile set a fast early pace and cruised to a 1 1/4 length victory over That's Our Tricky in the $57,925 Vallejo Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.

Fertile ($4) was never challenged in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, winning in 1:10.03 after setting fractions of 21.37 and 44.11. She provided jockey Jason Lumpkins with his first of five straight wins on the card.

"I'd have liked to see her finish a little stronger, but they went pretty fast early," winning trainer Jeff Bonde said. "Twenty-one and one is a little quick. I think that she's really not fond of mud and that may be why she's not finishing as well."

The victory gave Bonde back-to-back stakes wins for the weekend. Hall Of Gold won the Richmond Handicap on Saturday but suffered a fractured sesamoid after the race. Bonde said that her leg was stable and that owners James and Bobbie Vreeland hoped to breed her to Point Given this spring.

Fertile increased her career earnings to $104,050 with her third victory in four starts. She is unbeaten in three starts against her own sex.