Miss Photogenic needs better break

For a speed horse, a race can be lost at the break, and it appears that was the case for Miss Photogenic in her last start. That's what her rider, Roman Chapa, believes, too, and he is looking for Miss Photogenic to turn in a strong effort Saturday night in the $35,000 San Felipe at Sam Houston Race Park.

A six-furlong race for fillies and mares, the San Felipe drew a field of seven, including Savorthetime, winner of the $50,000 Safely Kept at Arlington in August; Eternal Cup, who will be making her first start since August; and Roxaedit, an allowance winner who invades for trainer Tom Amoss.

Miss Photogenic - the most accomplished starter in the race, with nine wins and earnings of $246,279 - is a front-runner who never made the lead in her last start. After a slow break in the $50,000 Yellow Rose for statebreds at Sam Houston, she rallied from seventh for third place under Chapa.

"If she'd just have broke halfway decent, she'd have beat them easy," said Chapa, who has the return call on Miss Photogenic for trainer Brent Davidson. "The two horses that beat her, they just got too far in front of her, and she just couldn't catch them. But she made a huge run. She's a nice mare."

Miss Photogenic, a stakes winner at Sam Houston, has been in top form all season and has won three of her last six starts, including back-to-back money allowances at Louisiana Downs. She races for Herman and Mary Motley.

Savorthetime could go favored. Third in a Nov. 11 money allowance at Churchill Downs in her last start, she has kept the company of some quick mares in recent times, including Summer Mis, Don't Countess Out, and Emily Ring. Trainer Al Stall Jr. has given the mount to Curt Bourque.