Spring Steen proves born to sprint in winning Hoist Her Flag

It’s fair to say the filly Spring Steen prefers to sprint. Trainer Francisco Bravo cut the Oklahoma-bred filly back from a two-turn race to the six-furlong, $50,000 Hoist Her Flag Stakes on Saturday evening at Canterbury Park, and Spring Steen got back to her winning ways.

Spring Steen and jockey Ry Eikleberry set splits of 22.38 and 45.17 seconds while clear, hit the stretch call with a 3 1/2-length lead, and coasted to a 1 1/4-length victory over the late-running Lake Pontchartrain. Aiken to Be finished third, while tepid favorite Ari Gia got in considerable early trouble and checked in fifth but was elevated to fourth when Puntsville, who had won this race two years in a row, was disqualified for interference in the first furlong.

Spring Steen, a 4-year-old filly by Maclean’s Music out of Spring Unbridled, by Unbridled’s Song, is owned by Michael Grossman. She’s now won five of her eight career starts and tallied Saturday night while racing outside Oklahoma-bred company for the first time.

Earlier this year, Spring Steen won a pair of Oklahoma-bred sprints – one in stakes company – by nine and 9 1/4 lengths. She just failed to carry her speed to victory in a two-turn stakes race May 20 before returning to her preferred trip – and the winner’s circle – in the Hoist Her Flag.

Chief Cicatriz wins Dark Star Cup

Chief Cicatriz was one of the fastest horses in North America last summer, when he won the Aristides Stakes at Churchill Downs by more than six lengths, posting a 110 Beyer Speed Figure.

For an encore, Chief Cicatriz went on an extended vacation, and while he won his comeback race in March, the performance lacked anything close to his Aristides verve. Chief Cicatriz then finished fifth in a $100,000 stakes race at Sunland Park but is now looking more and more like his best self, following up on a close second in the Ed Skinner Memorial last month at Prairie Meadows with a dominant win Saturday night at Canterbury Park in the $50,000 Dark Star Cup.

Chief Cicatriz and jockey Francisco Arrieta were outrun through an opening quarter-mile in 21.95 seconds by The Tabulator but had taken over through a half-mile in 44.60, drawing away from six rivals in the homestretch to post a 2 3/4-length win.

Chief Cicatriz ($4.40) stopped the timer in 1:15.98 for 6 1/2 furlongs on a fast dirt track. Cowboy Creed rallied up the rail for second, well clear of third-place Malibu Max.

Shawn Davis trains Chief Cicatriz for owner Roy Gene Evans. The 6-year-old, by Munnings out of Super Buggy, by Grand Slam, has managed only 15 career starts but has won 10 of them.