Hollywood Park: She's a Tiger turns back several challenges in Landaluce win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - She’s a Tiger won her debut by a flashy nine lengths at the Alameda County Fair at Pleasanton last month. When she won her stakes debut in Saturday’s $150,500 Landaluce Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park, the margin was three-quarters of a length, but the style of the victory was deserving of merit.

She’s a Tiger overcame threats from several rivals through the six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies to remain unbeaten. Ridden by Frank Alvarado, She’s a Tiger ($3.20) ran six furlongs in 1:12.04.

“This is the first time that she got pressure,” Alvarado said.

She’s a Tiger fought off an early challenge from South Sound through fractions of 21.91 and 45.55 seconds to lead by a length on the turn. She extended her advantage to two lengths at the eighth pole, but was urged to the wire to outrun E Equalsmcsquared, a 15-1 outsider who finished second.

Alvarado never hit She’s a Tiger with his whip formally. He said he hit her “just on the shoulder, to keep her moving,” he said.

Pleasant Miss, second in the Cinderella Stakes here on June 15, finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind She’s a Tiger. Perched finished fourth, followed by Gagaoveryou, On the Backstreets, and South Sound.

She’s a Tiger, by Tale of the Cat, races for the partnership of Mark DeDomenico, Allen Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez, and Stuart Downey and is trained by Jeff Bonde. She’s a Tiger was purchased for $150,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale and is a half-sister to Smiling Tiger, a recently-retired Grade 1 winner trained by Bonde.

The victory left Bonde and the partnership excited about She’s a Tiger chances at the upcoming Del Mar meeting, which opens on Wednesday. Bonde said that the focus for She’s a Tiger later this summer is likely to be the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante over seven furlongs on Aug. 31. She’s a Tiger may not start in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 7.

“We might skip the next one and go in the last race,” Bonde said. “You don’t want to over-race them.”