Lipstick City needs hot pace in Treasure Coast Stakes

Pace could be the deciding factor when the stretch-running Lipstick City goes for her second straight stakes victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Treasure Coast at Gulfstream Park. The one-mile Treasure Coast drew a field of nine filly-and-mare turf specialists, including key contenders No Sweat, Unbridled Courage, Island Reward, and Josdesanimaux.

Lipstick City rallied from last at the top of the stretch to a convincing 3 1/4-length triumph in the Christmas Past Stakes here on May 31. The victory was her first since she captured the Boiling Springs last summer at Monmouth Park with a similar late rally, and her first since being transferred to trainer David Fawkes earlier this year.

“She really ran big last time and has moved forward nicely, put weight on, and flourished since that race,” said Fawkes. “The owners sent her down to me because they felt it would be easier for her here than up north, and she seems really comfortable running out of her own barn rather than shipping around to race.”

Fawkes’s main concern is whether there will be enough pace to set up Lipstick City’s closing surge on Saturday. He noted that last Sunday his trainee Galleon Mast rallied for second to a loose-on-the-lead Conquest Sandman in the Mecke Stakes.

“It doesn’t look like there’s a lot of speed in here,” he said. “A horse like No Sweat could be very dangerous if she were to get loose on the lead.”

No Sweat set a relatively soft pace before dropping a head decision to King’s Ghost under high-level optional-claiming conditions on June 8, earning a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure. She figures to be hustled along early by jockey Tyler Gaffalione after breaking from the rail.

Unbridled Courage matched her career-high Beyer of 81 when second behind the red-hot Bitacora in the Ginger Punch Stakes on June 16. Island Reward rallied to finish second, beaten a length by Miz Mayhem, last out in the Nicole’s Dream. She was turning back to five furlongs off a series of one-mile outings that included a solid fourth-place effort behind Lull in the Grade 3 Honey Fox. Josdesanimaux raced wide throughout while proving no match for Lipstick City in the Christmas Past.

Fawkes was a proud papa after his daughter Natalie took out her first trainer’s license this week.

“Becoming a trainer was a goal of mine, although I wasn’t in any rush to get started,” said Natalie Fawkes, 20. “But the opportunity was there, and I wasn’t going to turn it down.”

She said she has three older horses in training at Gulfstream for Hot Scot Racing, with a couple of 2-year-olds to come in later.

“I’m doing all the work myself, including gallop them, to keep the payroll down,” said Natalie Fawkes. “I’m waiting for the next book to come out before I send out my first starter.”