Lady Fifty Two impresses in Washington Oaks victory

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Holldendorfer sent a horse Saturday to Emerald Downs, and the results were as expected. Lady Fifty Two raced to an easy victory in the $65,000 Washington Oaks and paid $3.80 as the heavy favorite in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies.

Owned by Hollendorfer in partnership with Seattle-area horsemen Mark Dedomenico and George Todaro, Lady Fifty Two managed a number of firsts Sunday. In addition to recording her first stakes victory, she ventured beyond six furlongs for the first time and easily passed her distance test. Lady Fifty Two, by Kodiak Kowboy, covered 1 1/8 miles with jockey Leslie Mawing in 1:48.21 and was full of run at the finish.

Mylast Sweet Pea, the top local hope in the Oaks after Emerald Downs’ 3-year-old filly division was decimated by injuries and other attrition, finished second after setting the pace, 1 1/2 lengths behind Lady Fifty Two. It was nearly five lengths back to the third-place finisher Champagne Gal, who was followed by Sunpenny, Quiet Wisdom, Cheeky Stone, and Papa’s Flashy Girl.

Lady Fifty Two began her 3-year-old campaign with a maiden victory at Golden Gate Fields in March and made her stakes debut in June in the Betamerica.com Oaks during the Oak Tree meeting at Pleasanton, in which she was a distant fifth behind seven-length winner Amaranth. Lady Fifty Two earned $35,750, increasing her earnings through nine starts to $83,352.