Sister Dawn turns back Mother Ruth in Playa Del Rey

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Sister Dawn survived an early pace duel with Holding Her Ground and turned back a stretch bid from favored Mother Ruth to score a gutsy victory on Sunday in the $62,000 Playa Del Rey Stakes for female sprinters at Hollywood Park.

Sister Dawn ($16.40) proved best by a neck over Mother Ruth in 1:09.94 for six furlongs. Silver Swallow was third.

Under Joel Rosario, Sister Dawn set fractions of 22.09 seconds for a quarter-mile and 45.28 for a half-mile while hounded by Holding Her Ground. She disposed of that rival, but was immediately tackled by Mother Ruth, who appeared to be going the better of the two at the sixteenth pole. But Sister Dawn bravely battled back along the inside to prevail.

“I saved as much as I could for the last part,” Rosario said.

The win was the fourth in nine lifetime starts for Sister Dawn, 3, whom John Sadler trains for owners Ike and Dawn Thrash.