Maid for Music pulls Golden Poppy upset

ALBANY, Calif. - Maid for Music ($23.60) recorded her first stakes win and U.S. victory as she rallied along the rail to capture the $75,000 Golden Poppy at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

The 3-year-old Irish-bred, fourth in a $50,000 claimer at Santa Anita in her U.S. debut on March 19, was sixth in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies through the opening quarter of the 1 1/16-mile turf race.

The James Cassidy-trained Maid for Music settled nicely down the backstretch before being asked on the second turn. She moved up two wide and then cut inside pacesetting Summers Peace, who was being challenged by favored Point of Reference. She spurted clear to beat Summers Peace by 1 1/4 lengths, winning in 1:44.81.

Summers Peace, who led by six after the opening half-mile, held on for second by a head over Point of Reference, who lugged out down the lane under left-handed whipping.

"I saved all the ground and had a perfect trip," said winning rider Frank Alvarado. "She gave me everything from the three-sixteenths pole to the wire."

The victory was worth $45,000 for owner Deron Pearson. Maid for Music, now 2 for 8 in her career, has earned $59,996.