Louvain best in Flawlessly Stakes

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A day after she was scratched from the $750,000 American Oaks, Louvain won a consolation of sorts, Monday's $112,900 at Hollywood Park.

Sent off favored in a field 11 3-year-old fillies, Louvain ($5.80) overcame trouble on the backstretch to win by 1 1-2 lengths over Royal Copenhagen. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Louvain finished a mile on turf in 1:34.49. Island Escape, a 10-1 shot, finished third after leading in the stretch.

Louvain raced at the back of the field for the first half-mile. She was steadied on the backstretch when in traffic and then rallied wide on the final turn to reach contention.

Sixth with a quarter-mile remaining, Louvain made up a three-length deficit in the stretch.

The Flawlessly marked her first stakes win since the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes here last November. In her first start of 2005, Louvain finished sixth in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap on June 5.

Owned by Edmund Gann and trained by Bobby Frankel, Louvain has won 3 of 8 starts and $154,883.

She is expected to start in the $150,000 San Clemente Handicap over a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 30.