She's Not Here confirms affinity for Del Mar's turf in Yellow Ribbon

DEL MAR, Calif. - The 4-year-old filly She’s Not Here grew up at Del Mar this summer.

She arrived from Kentucky in July as the winner of a maiden race and two allowance races. She will leave for Kentucky in coming days as a graded stakes winner following Sunday’s $201,250 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for fillies and mares on turf.

“The plan was to come here for the Yellow Ribbon and it worked out,” trainer Vicki Oliver said. “She’s so versatile. She seems to love the ground out here.”

She’s Not Here won an optional claimer at a mile on firm turf here on Aug. 6, and was a hard-fought winner of the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap on the same kind of surface over Prize Exhibit, the 3-1 favorite and the only 3-year-old in a field of 10.

Ridden by Mike Smith, She’s Not Here ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:41.66.

Smith had She’s Not Here in seventh place for the first six furlongs, well behind Istanford, who set a quick pace of 22.92 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.47 seconds for the first half-mile. She’s Not Here moved into contention with a wide rally and was second to stretch leader Prize Exhibit with a furlong to go.

“I didn’t think there would be as much pace as there was,” Oliver said. “We were in the right spot and she likes racing on the outside.”

She’s Not Here finished a half-length in front of Prize Exhibit, who was a length in front of 5-1 Lady Pimpernel.

Blingismything finished fourth, and was followed by Notte d’Oro, Customer Base, Alexis Tangier, Queen of the Sand, Thegirlinthatsong, and Istanford.

She’s Not Here races for G. Watts Humphrey and Ian Banwell. By Street Cry, She’s Not Here has won 5 of 16 starts and earned $276,569.