Shes Our Fastest points to Fiesta Mile at Retama

Shes Our Fastest is back at her Evangeline Downs base after the 4-year-old filly won the fourth stakes of her career Sunday in the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes at Lone Star Park. The race was for Texas-bred fillies and mares, and Shes Our Fastest was a three-quarter-length winner while covering six furlongs in 1:10.66.

“She ran a big race,” trainer Scott Gelner said. “She had to fight to get the win. She dug in and got it.”

Gelner said Shes Our Fastest would probably remain in the Texas-bred ranks for her next stakes start, which will likely be the $50,000 Fiesta Mile at Retama Park. The turf race for fillies and mares is Sept. 6.

:: Get PPs, Clocker Reports, picks, and more from DRF's Saratoga/Del Mar One-Stop Shop

Shes Our Fastest came into the Valor Farm off a runner-up finish in a turf stakes, the $50,000 Lane’s End Danny Shifflett at 7 1/2 furlongs at Lone Star. She races for Mark Norman and Norman Stables.

Gelner on Wednesday was enjoying opening day at Del Mar.

“My son just graduated high school and for a graduation gift we gave him a trip to Del Mar,” Gelner said.

Pickett returns to Evangeline

Pickett will make his first start at Evangeline Downs since winning last year’s D.S. “Shine” Young Futurity in Friday night’s eighth race, a nonwinners-of-three sprint for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs.

Pickett is 2 for 2 over the main track at Evangeline, having won the futurity by nine lengths last July, one start after a 6 1/2-length romp in a maiden special weight for Louisiana-breds. Timothy Thornton was aboard for both wins and has the mount Friday night for Charles Carlton and trainer Glenn Delahoussaye.

◗ Jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr. entered Wednesday night’s races at the Downs at Albuquerque two wins from 3,000 career Thoroughbred victories in North America. Juarez is a winner of 3,060 races, including non-Thoroughbred wins, according to records from Daily Racing Form.

◗ Fredda Draper, who co-owned 2004 All American Futurity winner Dm Shicago and bred 2016 winner Imperial Eagle, has died, according to a press release from Ruidoso Downs. She had battled lung cancer. Draper was 77 and was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, trainer Carl Draper.