Hot and Sultry gets first stakes victory in American Beauty

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Hot and Sultry became a stakes winner in just her fifth start Saturday, when she rallied between rivals in the stretch en route to a half-length victory over I’m the Boss of Me in the $150,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn Park. It was another three lengths back in third to Sarah Harper.

The American Beauty was a six-furlong race for fillies and mares. It was the stakes debut for Hot and Sultry, who was a $475,000 yearling purchase by her Arkansas-based owners, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong.

“We’ve really liked her from Day 1,” said Alex Lieblong. “We’re really pleased.”

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Hot and Sultry stalked in fourth as Connie K took the field through pressured fractions of 21.74 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.60 for the half-mile. Hot and Sultry raced along the rail down the backside and on the turn, and came between rivals in the stretch. Hot and Sultry went on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:10.10. She paid $4.40 as the favorite.

David Cabrera was aboard Hot and Sultry for trainer Norm Casse.

“I didn’t know if the hole was going to open or not,” Alex Lieblong said. “She kind of split horses. She rated without much trouble. She does whatever you ask her – if we’re smart enough to ask her to do the right things!”

Hot and Sultry has now won three times, with her previous wins coming wire to wire. She earned $94,575 on Saturday to push her career bankroll to $256,395.

Alex Lieblong spotted Hot and Sultry at the Keeneland September yearling auction in 2020. She is a 4-year-old daughter of Speightster and the mare Hot Water, who has produced Grade 3 Ben Ali winner Scalding and stakes winner Tracksmith.

Hot and Sultry came into the American Beauty off a runner-up finish to Grade 3 winner Yuugiri in a non-winners of three allowance sprint Dec. 30 at Oaklawn.

Plans for Hot and Sultry’s next start are to be determined, said Alex Lieblong.

“Stretching her out some would not bother me a whiole lot and keeping her short would not bother me a whole lot,” he said."We have decisions to make."

Racing at Oaklawn resumes Sunday.

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