Lucky Girl rallies wide and dances home in Swingtime Stakes
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Lucky Girl closed from off the pace to finish sixth and fourth in turf stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar over the summer, not always getting the best of trips in her first two starts of the year.
Lucky Girl’s third start of 2023 was flawless in Monday’s $95,440 Swingtime Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Joe Bravo, Lucky Girl ($15.40) closed from sixth in a field of nine on the turn, rallying wide to take the lead in the final strides. The Swingtime Stakes was Lucky Girl’s first stakes win in 19 months and the second of her career.
Lucky Girl caught 13-1 Freedom Flyer late to win by a half-length. Unbridled Mary, an 8-1 chance who led in early stretch, finished third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.
Lucky Girl was timed in 1:34.07 in the Swingtime, which was restricted to nonwinners of a stakes worth $60,000 at a mile or more other than statebred races this year. Lucky Girl earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84, which equals the highest of her career.
Owned by Panic Stable, Lucky Girl was one of three runners in the field trained by Phil D’Amato, a group that included 8-5 favorite Hamwood Flier. The winner of the 2022 Swingtime Stakes, Hamwood Flier broke through the gate before the start of Monday’s race and was quickly reloaded without further incident.
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Hamwood Flier took her expected position at the front of the field and set rapid fractions of 22.95 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.14 for a half-mile, leading by as many as five lengths.
Unbridled Mary was the first to challenge Hamwood Flier on the turn but could not sustain the threat in the final furlong.
Unbridled Mary was followed by Eddie’s New Dream, Oakhurst, Present Moment, Una Chiquitita, Hamwood Flier, and Ankyrah. Lucky for You and Linda’s Gift were scratched.
Lucky Girl, a 4-year-old Irish-bred filly by the Danehill stallion Exceed And Excel, has won 3 of 14 starts and earned $189,863. The Swingtime Stakes ended a seven-race losing streak since the China Doll Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in March 2022.
At Del Mar, Lucky Girl finished a troubled sixth by 1 3/4 lengths in the Osunitas Stakes at a mile on July 23, and was fourth by the same margin in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 12.
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