Santa Anita: Mile ideal distance for Up in Time in Harold Ramser

ARCADIA, Calif.- Race distance is key for Up In Time, who won her second stakes of 2011 in Sunday’s $100,000 Harold Ramser Handicap at Santa Anita.

At a mile, she has proven tough to beat. Past a mile, she’s vulnerable.

In the Ramser for 3-year-old fillies, Up In Time ($12.40) closed from fifth in a field of 11 to win by 1 1/4 lengths over 7-1 Celestial Kitten. Up In Time ran a mile on turf in 1:34.25.

In July, she won the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf at Del Mar. She followed that win with a seventh in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks over 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 20.

“She’s a fast filly and cutting back in distance really helps her,” trainer Simon Callaghan said.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Up In Time was fifth on the backstretch, racing just behind pacesetter Tales in Excess, who set early fractions of 23.06 and 46.67 seconds. Garcia moved Up In Time closer to the front on the turn and challenged new leader Celestial Kitten going past the eighth pole. In the final furlong, Up In Time pulled clear.

“She took me where I wanted to be,” Garcia said. “I put her behind another horse and she was really nice.”

Bauble Queen, a 9-2 shot, finished third, with 9-5 favorite Sarah’s Secret only fifth in the field of 11. The winner of the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap at Hollywood Park in June, Sarah’s Secret raced on the rail to the final turn and was not a threat in the stretch.

Up In Time has won 4 of 10 starts and $198,576 for Anthony Ramsden and Three Chimneys Farm. By Noverre, Up In Time won a maiden race at Newmarket, England, in September 2010, and has won 3 times in 7 starts for Callaghan this year. Her first win in the United States came in a six-furlong allowance race on turf at Hollywood Park in May.