Precise Timing outlasts Sapello La Fina in Lassies Stakes

Blue Ribbon Racing .23's Precise Timing lived up to the billing by delivering a workmanlike victory by a three-quarter-length margin in the $60,000 WTBOA Lassies Stakes at Emerald Downs on Saturday.

Calling upon the filly's speed from the opening bell, jockey Kevin Orozco quickly opened up a lead, which allowed him to drift away from the inside path while clear of others. In hindsight, that may have been the winning move, as it was eventual runner-up finisher Sapello La Fina who filled the gap at the inside. By the time they had raced a half-furlong, the pair were head to head and they remained that way for the next 1 1/2 furlongs, at which point Precise Timing opened up again.

As the field turned into the stretch, Precise Timing was comfortably in front, but Sapello La Fina was not done, and she made steady progress up the inside and finished well to just miss in the end.

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The winner, a Kay Cooper trainee, covered the 6 1/2-furlong distance over a fast track in 1:19.15 after making all the running through splits of 22.47 and 45.75. A 2-year-old filly stretching from 5 1/2 furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs in just her second lifetime start, Precise Timing ($3.60) likely gained plenty from the experience and now stands as the clear leader of her division at Emerald Downs.

Runner-up Sapello La Fina, a Miguel Hernandez trainee, was 2 3/4 lengths in front of A Thousand Miles, who finished third. Justin Evans trains A Thousand Miles.

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