Smiling Shirlee finishes the job in Evening Jewel Stakes
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Four times from last summer until January Smiling Shirlee chased rivals through the stretch in stakes for California-bred fillies, failing to reach the front each time.
Smiling Shirlee was second twice, third once and fifth once at Del Mar, Los Alamitos and Santa Anita.
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Smiling Shirlee had her fifth appearance in a stakes in Saturday’s $152,500 Evening Jewel Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita. This time, Smiling Shirlee reached the front with yards to spare.
Ridden for the first time by Mike Smith, Smiling Shirlee ($9.60) closed from eighth in a field of 10 to win the six-furlong race by a half-length over 7-1 Bella Vita.
Smiling Shirlee was timed in 1:10.49, winning for the third time in her eight-race career, all for owners Edward Brown Jr., Alan Klein and Philip Lebherz and trainer Jeff Bonde.
Smith had Smiling Shirlee well off the pace on the backstretch and seventh on the turn. Dim Lights and Bulletproof One dueled through early fractions of 21.53 seconds before Bulletproof One took the lead through a half-mile in 45.08.
Turning into the stretch, Bulletproof One was in front, but yielded to Bella Vita, who held an advantage with an eighth of a mile remaining. Smith moved Smiling Shirlee four wide entering the stretch and they caught Bella Vita in the final sixteenth.
Smiling Shirlee earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 82.
Bella Vita finished a length in front of 9-2 Been Studying Her, who was followed by Warren’s Showtime, Homehome, Bulletproof One, Warrior’s Moon, Dim Lights, Speedy Gigi and Florentine Diamond.
Warren’s Showtime (4-1) raced in traffic in early stretch. She has won three turf stakes since early October.
Smiling Shirlee, by Smiling Tiger, has earned $239,220.
“She’s been training really well,” Bonde said. “Mike fit her like a glove.
“She’s filling out. She was on the light side as a 2-year-old and she’s getting better as a 3-year-old.”