Santa Anita: Judy the Beauty easily wins Las Flores Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Judy the Beauty gave jockey John Velazquez a slight concern in the post parade for Sunday’s $100,000 Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita.

“I thought she was a little on the quiet side,” Velazquez said.

Velazquez’s solution was to urge Judy the Beauty out of the gate in the Grade 3 sprint for fillies and mares. The move worked. Judy the Beauty stalked pacesetter Munnings Sister, took the lead in early stretch, and won by 4 3/4 lengths.

“I wanted to make sure she came out running,” Valazquez said. “When I was in position, she was comfortable. It was perfect. She handled it really well.”

Sent off as a heavy favorite, Judy the Beauty ($3) ran six furlongs in 1:08.22, winning the third stakes of her career. The Las Flores was her first start since a second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here last November.

Through the stretch, Velazquez rode Judy the Beauty to the finish.

“I wanted to make sure she got away from those horses,” he said.

Heir Kitty, the winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes here in December, closed from last in a field of five to finish second, a nose in front of Munnings Sister, who set an early pace of 21.72 and 44.23 seconds. Warm Breeze and Kinz Funky Monkey completed the order of finish.

Judy the Beauty races for owner and trainer Wesley Ward. A 5-year-old mare by Ghostzapper, Judy the Beauty’s most prestigious win was in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland last October, her final start before the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.

Judy the Beauty has won 6 of 14 starts and earned $825,757. She was part of a group of 2-year-olds whom Ward took to France in 2011 with the intent of starting them at Royal Ascot in England.

Judy the Beauty won her debut at Keeneland in April 2011 and an allowance race at Chantilly, France, that May. Judy the Beauty did not start in England after being withdrawn from the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2011.