Gourmet Girl takes Vanity

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For the second this year, Gourmet Girl has pulled an upset in an important stakes for older fillies and mares.

On Saturday, in her first start since winning the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 8, Gourmet Girl led throughout the $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, upsetting Lazy Slusan who has dominated the division in California this year.

Lazy Slusan, the 122-pound highweight in the Vanity who was third in the Apple Blossom, finished five lengths behind Gourmet Girl, who ran 1 1-8 miles in 1:49.21.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, who carried 119 pounds, Gourmet Girl beat Feverish to the front and was never headed. Gourmet Girl led by two lengths on the backstretch through fractions of 24.16 and 48.15 seconds.

"She jumped out quick and settled," Stevens said. "She beat Feverish and I kind of had things my own way. I wanted to get slow fractions and get away at the three-eighths pole and that's what happened."

Feverish was second early, but was passed by Lazy Slusan on the final turn.

Gourmet Girl led by two lengths turning for home and was never threatened.

Lazy Slusan's loss ended a three-race winning streak in California dating back to a runner-up finish in the Pro or Con Handicap for state-breds at Santa Anita in February.

"They were walking for a half-mile," said John Dolan, who owns and trains Lazy Slusan. "There's no Grade 1 horses that can go that slow to the half and still catch them."

Setareh, who broke slowly, closed for third, and was followed by Letter of Intent and Feverish.