New Mexico star Slammed jumps up to Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo
Slammed is a milestone filly in modern racing – a winner at all four tracks in New Mexico and in her California debut in an allowance race at Del Mar last month.
The easy allowance victory by 5 1/4 lengths showed Slammed is more than just a five-time stakes winner against New Mexico-breds. She belongs in Sunday’s Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar.
Owned by Brad King, Suzanne Kirby, and trainer Todd Fincher, Slammed ran the best race of her career July 28, leading throughout and recording a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 98. Slammed has won races by wider margins – 11 lengths in the Sierra Starlet Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Ruidoso Downs in 2021, for example – but had never beaten a field that included the likes of Grace Adler, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last September.
To win the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap, Slammed will need to be as good as she was last month.
“The Grade 3 says it all,” Fincher said. “To get a graded race on her résumé, we’ll go for that. One thing about it is she will try.”
A 4-year-old by the Bernardini stallion Marking, Slammed’s main rivals are Edgeway, second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar last November and winner of the 2021 Rancho Bernardo, and Private Mission, who won the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita in June but was last of five in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 6 at Del Mar.
Slammed set the pace on July 28 and has led throughout some of her wins in New Mexico, but also has shown the ability to track the leaders.
“It’s the way you ride her,” Fincher said. “She can do either way. She got a good break last time.
“She’s very handy. She’s willing, but you can get her to relax.”
Drayden Van Dyke rode Slammed in her allowance race win and has the mount Sunday. Slammed drew post 4 in a field of six. She could face an early challenge from Private Mission, who has set the pace in sprints, or Dance to the Music, who has been second in two graded stakes for sprinters but was fifth July 28 after a poor start.
Edgeway will not be far from the front. Trained by John Sadler, Edgeway disputed the pace in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita in March before pulling clear to win by seven lengths over Private Mission.
In the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 7 at Churchill Downs, Edgeway was near the front for the first half-mile before fading to finish sixth.
“We thought the second quarter in that race did her in,” Sadler said. “A lot of horses went for it and got knocked out at the finish.”
Edgeway has had several sharp workouts in recent weeks.
“We got her home and regrouped,” Sadler said. “She’s training very well, good energy and going fast.”