Starr of Quality gets preferred trip in allowance

ARCADIA, Calif. – Starr of Quality has found a home in one-mile dirt races at Santa Anita this year, which makes her appearance in a race at that distance on Thursday a point of confidence for trainer Bill Spawr.

Starr of Quality starts from the rail in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at a mile. In her last start, on June 22, Starr of Quality won her first stakes in the Dream of Summer Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile on dirt. She won an allowance race at a mile on dirt here in January.

Since returning to a schedule of regular workouts in mid-August, Starr of Quality has impressed Spawr and regular rider Tiago Pereira with her efforts.

“Tiago has been working her and he’s bragged about how strongly she’s finished,” Spawr said.

Owned by Tom Acker and Jon Lindo, Starr of Quality was claimed for $32,000 in February 2018 and has since won 3 of 11 starts. This year, she has earned $120,151.

Starr of Quality is one of three stakes winners in Thursday’s optional claimer along with Flor de La Mar and Querida Dubai.

Flor de La Mar, the only 3-year-old in a field of five, won the Beverly Lewis Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Los Alamitos on Sept. 7 for her first stakes win. She was withdrawn from Saturday’s Grade 3 LA Woman Stakes in favor of this race.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Flor de La Mar was a well-beaten second to Bellafina in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles in April. She ran poorly in May, winding up 11th in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and last of five in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks here at 1 1/16 miles.

Flor de La Mar did not race again until the Beverly Lewis.

Querida Dubai was a two-time stakes winner in Argentina last fall on turf and dirt. She was last of eight in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 14 in the shortest race of her career and her American debut. Querida Dubai broke slowly from the rail and was never a factor.

Flor de La Mar may show speed on Thursday along with Mo See Cal, who drew the outside post. Starr of Quality is likely to race as a stalker, as will Zusha, who was third in the restricted Tranquility Lake Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile at Del Mar on Aug. 23.

Spawr is hopeful Pereira can get Starr of Quality away from the rail in the first turn.

“I’d rather be outside,” he said. “She runs better in the clear and Tiago knows that.”

Spawr said he hopes to run Starr of Quality in the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 17.

“I’ve already circled it,” Spawr said.