Naughty Tiger gives Fuentes first stakes win in CTBA
DEL MAR, Calif. - The 2-year-old filly Naughty Tiger and 20-year-old jockey Ruben Fuentes performed like veterans to win Wednesday’s $100,690 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes for state-breds at Del Mar.
The CTBA Stakes was Naughty Tiger’s stakes debut. For Fuentes, who grew up in the racing town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the CTBA Stakes was his first career stakes win in his 11th attempt.
Naughty Tiger ($12.40) ran 5 1-2 furlongs in 1:06.27 on a day when the track produced slow times.
Naughty Tiger was fifth early, but within 1 1-4 lengths of early leader Six Pack Gal, who dueled for the early lead through an opening quarter-mile in 21.99 seconds.
“She broke a little slow,” Fuentes said. “I saw everybody sending. I let things come to me. At the half-mile pole, she made a little move.”
Naughty Tiger advance to second midway through the race, narrowly trailing Lippy, the 2-1 favorite.
“I was sitting on a lot of horse,” Fuentes said. “At the quarter-pole, I tapped her on the shoulder and she kicked clear.”
Naughty Tiger led by 1 1-2 lengths with a furlong remaining and won by 1 1-4 lengths over Accomplishedsister, who was second in the Juan Gonzalez Memorial Stakes at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meeting on June 30.
Lippy held third, followed by Time for Suzzie, Six Pack Gal, Montana Sunset, Scatapulp and Cozze Kid.
The CTBA Stakes was the third start for Naughty Tiger, who was third in her debut on May 28 and won a maiden race for Cal-bred fillies at five furlongs by 3 3-4 lengths on June 14.
Fuentes was aboard for those races and said he felt comfortable with the filly during Wednesday’s post parade.
“She was nice and acted like an older horse,” Fuentes said.
Naughty Tiger is trained and co-owned by Ed Freeman, who is part of a partnership with Brian Blackburn, Shannon Hunt, Mike Marsden, Antony Murigo and Darrin Albert.
Bought for $40,000 by Freeman at the Barretts April Sale of 2-year-olds in-training, Naughty Tiger has earned $97,880.