Stay and Scam likes Santa Anita hillside turf, takes Irish O'Brien

ARCADIA, Calif. - Stay and Scam is right at home on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

After finishing second in her debut on the course last November, and third in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint in January, Stay and Scam is unbeaten in two starts on the hillside – an allowance race on Feb. 10, and Sunday’s $101,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares.

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez on Sunday and sent off favored, Stay and Scam ($4.40) stalked pacesetter Chancery Way to the crossover onto the main turf oval and held off a sustained threat from that rival to win by a half-length.

“I was just waiting to make my move,” Gutierrez told Santa Anita publicity. “When I asked her to go, she went. She likes the hillside a lot.”

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Stay and Scam ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:12.66 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

“She’s gutsy and she tries every time,” winning trainer Doug O’Neill said. “She loves the course."

Chancery Way (7-2) finished a half-length in front of 8-1 Chismosa. Chancery Way, trained in Northern California by Jamey Thomas, was second in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint in her last start. Chismosa was second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt on Feb. 3 in her latest outing.

Madiha finished fourth, followed by All Dialed In, Scary Fast Ride and Rose Maddox.

Chancery Way set a fair pace of 22.48 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.56 for a half-mile, leading by as much as 1 1/2 lengths. The margin quickly evaporated when the field crossed the dirt.

Stay and Scam, a 4-year-old filly by Square Eddie, races for owners and breeders Paul and Zillah Reddam. Stay and Scam has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $290,760.

“I think she is getting better with age,” Gutierrez said. “Hopefully, she keeps her momentum going.”

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.

>