Sloppy track no problem for 'Sara'

MIAMI, Fla. - Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. would have preferred Saturday's $50,000 Convenience Stakes to have remained on the turf but the switch to a sloppy main track mattered little to Sara's Success who parlayed a perfect trip into an easy 6 1/2-length victory over Halo Reality and four other overmatched 3-year-old fillies.

Sara's Success stalked the early pace of Peaceful Wager, readily took command after a half mile and steadily drew off under jockey Cornelio Velasquez. Halo Reality saved ground to finish second, a neck before Sea Mist. Halo Of Truth, Peaceful Wager and Company Storm rounded out the complet order of finish.

Sara's Success, who finished a troubled sixth in Saratoga's grassy Lake Placid Handicap in her previous start, paid $5.40. Her final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:46.72.

"I'd have preferred the race to be on turf because she's a better horse on grass and I was using this race to set her up for her next start on the 13th (the Calder Oaks)," said Plesa who trained Sarais Success for the Thorobeam Farm. "In addition I really wanted to get her back on the grass because in her last start (Lake Placid) she had a very unlucky trip getting stopped dead at the quarter pole and shuffled back to last before really charging at the end to get beat just over four lengths."

Sara's Success has now won six of 15 starts including the Iowa Stakes, which was also switched from the grass to the main track, here on July 15.