Fleetheart attempts next level

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After racing against claimers in her first two starts, and winning both races, Fleetheart faces a more difficult test in a $49,000 allowance race at Hollywood Park on Wednesday.

Trainer Vladimir Cerin thinks the 4-year-old filly is capable of extending her winning streak.

"If she can make it for 3 for 3, I'd be very happy," Cerin said. "She's always trained like she can run."

Fleetheart beat maiden claimers by five lengths in a six-furlong sprint last October and won a six-furlong starter allowance race at Santa Anita in February. After both races, she became ill, Cerin said, which has limited her starts.

"The last time she won, the babies had started coming in and she got a cold," he said.

Owned by a partnership, Fleetheart has won both of her races with the same style - fighting for the early lead and then drawing off. The victory in the starter allowance left Cerin impressed.

"She didn't break that well and then rushed up and took off," he said. "She doesn't need the lead."

Fleetheart was purchased privately at 2 as part of a two-horse package of full siblings, Cerin said.

"Her full sister wound up a 10-claimer, on her best day," Cerin said.

How far Fleetheart progresses remains to be seen. She has already proven to have ability against lesser competition and has speed figures superior to her seven rivals in Wednesday's six-furlong race. Fleetheart has trained on Hollywood Park's synthetic track on a regular basis in recent months.

Fleetheart is drawn alongside her biggest threat, Rey Lake. Trained by Howie Zucker, Rey Lake was second in two optional claimers at Santa Anita in January and March. She beat maidens at Santa Anita in April 2005 and is winless in her last 10 starts.

Aside from Fleetheart, the only other filly in the field with two wins is Get the Money, who has made 16 starts. She won consecutive races last summer - a $40,000 claiming race for maidens at Del Mar and a starter allowance at Fairplex Park. She is winless in her last five starts, but was second in a $40,000 claimer at Santa Anita on April 17.