Just Grazed Me keeps rolling in Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - When trainer Phil D’Amato was looking for a race for Just Grazed Me this summer, the only races he thought fit the California-bred filly were on the turf, a surface she had not yet tried. D’Amato breezed Just Grazed Me on the grass once, liked what he saw, and ran her over it.

The surface switch has proven to be a success as Just Grazed Me won her third consecutive turf race, coming from off the pace under Geovanni Franco to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over Apache Princess at Santa Anita. It was three-quarters of a length back to longshot Ippodamia’s Girl in third. She was followed by Don’t Sell, Girls Know Best, Escapade, Dearborn, Kentan Road, and Gypsy Blu.

The win was the sixth from 10 starts for Just Grazed Me, a daughter of Grazen owned by Nick Alexander. She is 3 for 4 on turf.

“When I was at Del Mar, the only race available was on the grass,” D’Amato said. “We breezed her on the grass and she breezed really good. Ever since then she’s just seemed to up her game on the green stuff.”

In winning the California Distaff Handicap here on Oct. 12, Just Grazed Me was a stalking fourth, always within two lengths of the lead. Saturday, Just Grazed Me was seventh of nine, four lengths off the pace set by Girls Know Best and Kentan Road.

Turning for home, Franco tipped Just Grazed Me into the four path and she gradually wore down the front-runners and outfinished Apache Princess.

“She broke out of there; she positioned herself in a good spot,” Franco said. “Turning for home, she did what she does - she turned her speed on and ran them down. Once she pinned her ears back, I knew it was going to be tough for them to come and catch her.”

Just Grazed Me covered the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:02.94 and returned $7.40.

“This filly has changed her style more and more herself,” D’Amato said. “She’s come from further off with a bigger kick. She’s just finding her groove right now. It’s really nice to see a filly develop like this and hopefully have a bright future.”