Fi Fi Pharoah finds first stakes triumph in Melair

ARCADIA, Calif. - The benefit of a target in early stretch helped the improving Fi Fi Pharoah win her first stakes in Saturday’s $151,000 Melair Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred fillies at Santa Anita.

Fi Fi Pharoah closed from last in a field of seven to win by a half-length over 7-2 Eddie’s New Dream, who led in the stretch under jockey Mario Gutierrez.

The presence of Eddie’s New Dream provided Fi Fi Pharoah with vital motivation, according to winning jockey Umberto Rispoli.

“I started to move up at the three-eighths,” Rispoli said. “I saw that Mario was on the best horse at the time."

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Rispoli said that Fi Fi Pharoah is the sort of filly that needs coaxing, but has ample ability. Fi Fi Pharoah was sixth on the turn, and took the lead with about a furlong remaining.

“She is lazy,” he said. “She has a good mind and good mentality. When she reached the quarter-pole, bang.”

Sent off favored, Fi Fi Pharoah ($6.20) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.41, and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 76. Eddie’s New Dream, in her first stakes appearance of 2021, finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of 5-2 I’m So Anna, the winner of two stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

Pawnee finished fourth, followed by Mucha Woman, Smoothlikebuttah and Omg It’s Jessica. Mucha Woman set an early pace of 23.49 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.47 for a half-mile before fading from contention.

Fi Fi Pharoah, a rare California-bred by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, has won 2 of 5 starts and has earned $178,950. Trained by Walther Solis, Fi Fi Pharoah races for the partnership of Terry Lovingier, Tom Beckerle and Amanda Navarro. Lovingier bred Fi Fi Pharoah.

Earlier this year, Fi Fi Pharoah was second in the Evening Jewel Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs on April 3 in her stakes debut, a distance shorter than her best trip, Solis said earlier this week. The Evening Jewel was Fi Fi Pharoah’s second start.

Fi Fi Pharoah was later fourth in a maiden special weight for California-bred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on April 23 before winning a one-mile maiden special weight race against open company on May 15.