Pretty Perfection scores upset in Ladies' Turf Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Pretty Perfection, deftly guided around a potential road hazard on the far turn of the $125,000 Ladies' Turf Sprint, secured a clean lane and was able to rally for a 13-1 upset in a five-furlong dash for female sprinters on the Pegasus World Cup card on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Pretty Perfection ($29.80) pulled clear late to win by 1 1/2 lengths, but the winning move came a full three furlongs earlier, when jockey Nik Juarez saw trouble developing with My Sister Caro and Blue Bahia, both of whom checked while inside and behind pacesetter Everything Lovely.

By the time the field reached the top of the lane, Pretty Perfection was in position to run down Everything Lovely, who had carved out fractions of 21.27 seconds for the opening quarter and reached the half in 43.67. Pretty Perfection powered home to record her second straight victory over this course, both under Juarez. She was timed in 55.31 seconds on the firm course.

“Nik rode a great race,” said Kelly Breen, who trains Pretty Perfection for Stoneway Farm. “He saw something going on inside and slipped out.”

Breen said the hot pace also helped Pretty Perfection. She primarily raced on or near the lead early in her career, but over five starts now for Breen, “we’ve learned that she can sit, not go, go, go,” he said.

“That makes her a very versatile filly,” Breen said.

Pretty Perfection, 5, is by Majesticperfection. She has now won five times in 12 starts, but this was her first stakes victory.

Everything Lovely, the early pacesetter, just held second by a head over Triple Chelsea. Nite Delite, the 5-2 favorite, was fourth in a field of nine. There were three scratches earlier in the day – Artesian, Brandy’s Girl, and Ruby Notion.