S Y Sky eyes Fleet Treat Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – S Y Sky, the winner of the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies last Monday, is likely to stay in the statebred division this summer.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said S Y Sky will be pointed to the $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for Cal-bred 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Del Mar on July 30, with a possible start in between.

“We could possibly wait for the Fleet Treat,” he said. “I’m going to play it by ear. She came out of the race in good order. I don’t think it took too much out of it her.”

S Y Sky has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $234,560 for owner and breeder Nick Alexander.

S Y Sky won her debut in the Evening Jewel Stakes for Cal-bred fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs April 8 and was second in an optional claimer against open company May 4 in her first start at a mile. In the Melair Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, S Y Sky stalked pacesetter Miss Sunset to early stretch and won by a half-length after a stretch duel.

“I think there is a lot more there that is untapped,” D’Amato said.

Eight graded stakes left

The two $400,000 stakes Saturday – the Beholder Mile and Shoemaker Mile – were the final Grade 1 races of the Santa Anita spring-summer meeting, which runs through July 4.

There are still eight graded stakes remaining at the meeting, including three Grade 2 races: the Summertime Oaks on dirt and the Honeymoon Stakes on turf for 3-year-old fillies June 17 and the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes for sprinters July 1.

The next Grade 1 race in Southern California is the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar on July 29. The race is expected to be the 2017 debut of Drefong, the 2016 champion sprinter. Drefong won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last November.

There are three minor stakes at Santa Anita next weekend, led by the $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes for statebred sprinters June 11.