Madame Pietra rallies to take Desert Stormer

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Madame Pietra won her fourth consecutive stakes in Saturday's $106,800 at Hollywood Park, a winning streak that trainer Howard Zucker wants to protect.

All of the wins have come in six-furlong sprints, leaving Madame Pietra unlikely to start in the $250,000 A Gleam Handicap at seven furlongs on July 13, Zucker said. Instead, she may be pointed for the $500,000 Princess Rooney Handicap over six furlongs at Calder on July 12.

"Maybe when she loses one I'll experiment with the distance," Zucker said. "I think she'll run further, but I want to stay at six furlongs."

In the Grade 3 Desert Stormer, Madame Pietra ($14.20) rallied from fourth to catch a stubborn Bear Fan, who lost for the first time in her five-race career.

Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Madame Pietra, last early, benefited from an early pace of :21.79 and :43.75 which softened pacesetters Cee's Elegance, Jetinto Houston and Bear Fan.

With a wide rally, Madame Pietra steadily closed on the leaders. She won by three-quarters of a length, finishing six furlongs in 1:09.71. Jetinto Houston finished third in the field of six.

Madame Pietra's streak includes the Cascapedia Stakes at Santa Anita, the Corona Handicap here and the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint at Gulfstream Park in January, her most recent start prior to the Desert Stormer.

Owned by Carl Grether, the 6-year-old Madame Pietra has won 7 of 16 starts and $437,715.