Finest City seeks repeat in Great Lady M. Stakes

CYPRESS, Calif. – Finest City was largely unknown when she won the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at 8-1 for her first stakes win at Los Alamitos in April 2016. By the end of the year, she was the female sprint champion.

Owner Tyler Seltzer and trainer Ian Kruljac have the same goal this year, and again the $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes is part of Finest City’s season. Finest City will be favored in Saturday’s race at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares.

“If she runs her race, she should be very tough,” Kruljac said.

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Finest City won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita last November. Seltzer and Kruljac want her in the same race at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

The Great Lady M. Stakes is the richest sprint of the summer for females in California and has drawn a field of seven. Four runners have won stakes since Christmas at Santa Anita – Constellation in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 26, Finest City in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes in January, Pretty N Cool in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes in March, and Skye Diamonds in the Dream of Summer Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile in March.

KEY CONTENDERS

Finest City, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 91-95-97

◗ Since the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, Finest City has had four starts, with the Santa Monica Stakes her only win. She was beaten a neck by Paulassilverlining when second as the favorite in the Grade 1, seven-furlong Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 6 and was last of three in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on June 3.

“She’s hard to stop on,” Kruljac said. “She’s so into everything and so happy. I don’t think she’s run a bad race in the last few years.”

◗ Finest City will be ridden by Tyler Baze, who was aboard the 5-year-old for a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles in March. Regular rider Mike Smith is in New York on Saturday.

◗ Finest City drew the outside post and is likely to be near the front. “It’s a great post for her,” Kruljac said.

Constellation, by Bellamy Road

Last 3 Beyers: 91-87-95

◗ Since winning the La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs, Constellation has been raced sparingly, finishing second in the Las Flores and in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 8, losing by a neck to Paulassilverlining.

◗ Constellation is based with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s division at Los Alamitos and has worked quickly in recent weeks.

“We think she’s totally ready to run,” Hollendorfer said.

Skye Diamonds, by First Dude

Last 3 Beyers: 95-95-95

◗ Skye Diamonds was second in the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on May 7 in her graded-stakes debut. Claimed for $40,000 last August, Skye Diamonds has since won four times and earned $209,100.

◗ Kruljac respects Skye Diamonds. “Skye Diamonds is up and coming,” Kruljac said. “She seems like where we were last year. She has the right to get better.”