Salty Fries gets revenge in Corte Madera

Salty Fries ($7.80) turned the tables on Antares World, who had just defeated her in an allowance race, rallying along the rail to capture the $64,400 Corte Madera Stakes by a head at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

The two had just met in a Nov. 18 one-mile race, with Antares World winning by a half-length after a stretch-long duel that included contact between the two several times.

There were no similar incidents in the Corte Madera, also run at one mile.

Salty Fries sat farther back on Saturday as Antares World sat just off the pace of Quadriga. Antares World made a strong move into the stretch to take the lead, but Salty Fries had a clean shot from along the rail and prevailed with a strong stretch run in 1:37.54. Bleach Blonde ran third, another two lengths back.

"Those two fillies are really close," winning trainer Terry Knight said. "Hopefully, they can both continue to improve.

"I think my filly's improved as she's gotten older and the distances have progressed a bit. She ran well last time, but she had no chance, leaning on that other filly. She caused her own problems as well as to the other filly."

Said winning rider Russell Baze: "She has a real good punch for three-sixteenths of a mile. I was pretty sure something would open up. When you ask her, she goes right to business, and she's not afraid of dirt or other horses."

Antares World's rider Frank Alvarado offered no excuse. "She ran good," he said.

The victory was the third in seven starts for Salty Fries, a Legacy Ranch homebred by In Excess. She earned $39,000 to increase her earnings to $83,122.