Starry Pursuit successfully stretches out

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Starry Pursuit is much more than a turf sprinter.

In Friday's $114,100 Flawlessly Stakes at Hollywood Park, Starry Pursuit extended her speed over a mile on turf, winning by a length over Ginger Pop.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Starry Pursuit ($14) led throughout, and was timed in 1:35.15. She set a moderate early pace of 23.89 and 48.09 seconds.

"The distance was no problem today, but I don't know what's going to happen later when there's more pace," Rosario said.

Ginger Pop, second throughout, got within a length of Starry Pursuit in early stretch, but could not make up any more ground, finishing a neck in front of Runforthemoneybaby in the field of 10 3-year-old fillies.

Starry Pursuit has won 5 of 6 starts and $194,685. Owned by a partnership and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Starry Pursuit, by Van Nistelrooy, won the Manhattan Beach Stakes over six furlongs on turf on May 31.

Her only loss was an eighth-place finish in the Grade 2 Providencia Stakes over a mile on turf in April, her third career start, a race that Hollendorfer said on Friday was a case of asking Starry Pursuit to do too much too early in her career.