Madame Stripes earns first stakes win in Osunitas

DEL MAR, Calif. - This time, Madame Stripes got through in the stretch.

After a rough trip in an optional claimer at Santa Anita in June and a second in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes there on July 1, Madame Stripes ($10.20) had a fortunate trip to win Friday’s $82,775 Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar.

The Osunitas Stakes was the first stakes win for Madame Stripes, who was second in a Group 1 in Argentina in 2015.

“Mission accomplished – stakes win, black type,” trainer Neil Drysdale said as he left the winner’s circle.

Madame Stripes finished a half-length in front of Corps de Ballet. The winning ride by Kent Desormeaux played a pivotal role in the outcome.

Desormeaux had Madame Stripes on the rail to the quarter-pole behind the leaders when he found space between runners. Madame Stripes took the lead in the final sixteenth and won by a half-length.

“He had a lot of horse underneath him,” Drysdale said.

Corps de Ballet, an 8-1 shot, finished second, 1 1-2 lengths in front of 9-10 favorite Mrs McDougal, a multiple stakes winner for Chad Brown in 2015 and 2016 who had her first start for trainer Richard Mandella on Friday.

Laseen, a 33-1 outsider, finished fourth, followed by Anita Partner, Street Surrender, Dressed to a T, Lady Valeur, Watch This Cat and Brookys Star.

Madame Stripes is a 5-year-old Argentine-bred mare by Equal Stripes who has won 3 of 12 starts and earned $190,073. She has won 2 of 7 starts since arriving in the United States last year.