Fluffy Socks comes up inside on soggy course to capture Selima Stakes

The turf was listed as yielding for the Selima Stakes, race 1, at Pimlico on Saturday, and judging by the final time it indeed was as it took winner Fluffy Socks 1:50.74 to cover the 1 1/16 miles. The manner in which Fluffy Socks won, and the post-race comments of winning jockey Trevor McCarthy, indicate the inside was the place to be, at least early on the card.

Fluffy Socks, the longer price of two Chad Brown-trained runners in the field of seven 2-year-old fillies, lagged well back early, then came up the rail to collar 8-5 favorite Invincible Gal in midstretch and pull away for a 2 1/4-length score.

“We walked the turf course this morning, and the inside was the freshest part, less divots,” McCarthy said. “I saved as much ground as I could and I was looking to get out in the stretch, then the rail opened up and it was perfect.”

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Fluffy Socks was sent off at 6-1 in the $150,000 Selima and paid $14.40. Brown’s other runner, 2-1 second choice Domain Expertise, weakened in the stretch to finish last.

Domain Expertise and Invincible Gal were relaxed on the lead as they raced head and head through fractions of 25.57 seconds, 51.36, and 1:17.17. They were joined from the outside by 8-1 Line Dancing, but she and Domain Expertise came up short with Line Dancing fading to sixth.

Invincible Gal continued resolutely through the lane and held second by a neck over 21-1 Tic Tic Tic Boom, who finished willingly. It was a half-length farther back to 20-1 Zeyaraat in fourth.

Fluffy Socks is owned and was bred by Head of Plains Partners. The Selima was her third career start. She finished fifth in her Saratoga debut and came into the Selima off a 1 3/4-length maiden win going a mile at Kentucky Downs.