R Fast Lady wins Winners' Foundation Sprint

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Recent maiden winner R Fast Lady overcame a poor start, rallying wide to win the $63,365 at Bay Meadows on Sunday.

Both R Fast Lady and odds-on favorite Lunachick broke poorly, but the start proved to be good luck for the winner and bad luck for Lunachick, who finished second, beaten one length in the six-furlong race. The winning time was 1:09.74.

Jewels of Bagdad, who finished third, took the lead early, and Sneaky Jack kept Lunachick pinned to the inside. R Fast Lady, who began climbing early in the race when dirt hit her face, was taken wide into the clear by her rider Roberto Gonzalez.

Though wide, R Fast Lady got a clear trip and responded nicely in the lane, getting the jump on Lunachick, who finally got through on the rail but couldn't match the winner.

"I'm glad she didn't break," Gonzalez said. "She would have been in a situation where she was getting dirt in her face. Instead, at the 5/8ths, I got her out and she got really comfortable about four wide."

Russell Baze, who rode Lunachick, said she "was standing all sprawled out at the start. I wound up behind Jewels of Bagdad, and Sneaky Jack had just enough speed to keep me in. She was plenty comfortable stalking. If I'd gotten through the hole a little sooner, she might have won, but she doesn't have a quick turn of foot."

The victory was worth $32,350, increasing R Fast Lady's career earnings to $75,630 with two wins, a second and two thirds in six starts.