Quite a Bride upsets Nashoba's Key

ARCADIA, Calif. - Quite a Bride does not have as flashy a career record as Nashoba's Key, but she did get the better of the 2007 Eclipse Award finalist in Saturday's $500,000 Sunshine Million Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

Always near the front in a slowly-run race, Quite a Bride ($6.40) was never threatened by Nashoba's Key, running 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:49.98. Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Quite a Bride won by 1 1/4 lengths over Nashoba's Key, who was fourth for much of the race for California-breds and Florida-breds. Placid Lake, a Florida-bred, finished third in the field of eight.

Jockey Garrett Gomez thought that Quite a Bride was a winner at the top of the stretch after stalking pacesetter Somethinaboutlaura through early fractions of 25.06 and 50.58 seconds.

"She placed herself well, like she does in all her races," Gomez said. "In the middle of the turn, she hit another gear and I said, 'Let's go.'"

Nashoba's Key, the 2-5 favorite, was making her first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Monmouth Park in October.

A finalist for the 2007 Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding turf female and outstanding older female, Nashoba's Key closed ground in the final quarter-mile, but could not reach the winner.

"She was too far back off a slow pace," trainer Carla Gaines said. "She got to the winner after the wire. I would have preferred a win."

Gomez expected a challenge from Nashoba's Key in the final three furlongs. A winner of 7 of 9 starts, including two Grade 1 stakes last year, Nashoba's Key was ridden by Gomez in her first three career wins in early 2007.

"When I didn't see her at the top of the stretch, I thought she got held up in traffic," Gomez said. "My filly handled everything so well. She deserves a lot of credit."

Owned by Haras Santa Maria de Araras and trained by Bill Mott, the Florida-bred Quite a Bride has won 10 of 18 starts and $878,881. A 5-year-old mare by Stormy Atlantic, Quite a Bride is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won the South Beach Stakes for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 3.

Dash: Bob Black Jack sets record

Bob Black Jack set a six-furlong world record of 1:06.53 in Saturday's $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash.

On a track that has played remarkably fast since the meeting began in late December, Bob Black Jack ($3.60) broke the previous mark of 1:06.60 set by the multiple stakes winner G Malleah at Turf Paradise in 1995. He beat the Santa Anita track record of 1:06.67 that was set by In Summation in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Handicap on Jan. 21.

Bob Black Jack led throughout the Dash, setting early fractions of 20.92 and 42.26 seconds under jockey David Flores. A 3-year-old California-bred by Stormy Jack, Bob Black Jack was threatened by Winsome Charm in early stretch, but pulled away to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

"He was doing it very easily, very comfortably," Flores said. "It looked like he was the speed. I didn't want to take any chances, and put him in the race."

Winsome Charm finished two lengths in front of Afleet Ruler. The second- and third-place finishers in the field of eight are Florida-breds.

Owned by Jeff Harmon and Tim Kasparoff and trained by James Kasparoff, Bob Black Jack has won 3 of 5 starts and $268,925. He won the California Breeders' Champion Stakes over seven furlongs by a convincing 6 1/4 lengths here on Dec. 26.

F-M Sprint: Dearest Trickski wins

Dearest Trickski was unchallenged in the $300,000 Filly and Mare Sprint, drawing off in the stretch to win the six-furlong race by 4 1/4 Dearest Trickski ($3.60) was timed in 1:07.66, with little urging in the final furlong from jockey Mike Smith.

"She's like a little deer," Smith said. "She runs them off their feet and has another gear."

By Proudest Romeo, Dearest Trickski set early fractions of 20.52 and 43.39 seconds, quickly putting away an early challenge from Cher Ami.

The first three finishers in the field of eight are Florida-breds. Dixie Dreamer, based in Florida, finished second, a length in front of Prime Catch, who is based in California.

Dearest Trickski has won 9 of 13 starts and $445,500. The Filly and mare Sprint was her fifth consecutive win since she was claimed for $32,000 by Tom Mankiewicz and trainer John Sadler at Del Mar last August. Last April, she was claimed for $10,000 at Lone Star Park.

The Filly and Mare Sprint was the richest win of her career, but not the most prestigious. She won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes over seven furlongs here last month.