Stephanie Got Even steps up to stakes to win fifth straight in American Beauty

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Stephanie Got Even withstood a lengthy objection to win her fifth straight race Sunday in the $50,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn Park. She was making her stakes debut in the six-furlong race for fillies and mares and won by a length over pacesetter Cosmo Girl. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Vertical Vision.

Stephanie Got Even ($48.40) was on tear at Mountaineer Racetrack the second half of last year, when she won her maiden and three allowances. She was making her first start since November in the American Beauty, and raced well off the pace early as Cosmo Girl was clear through a half-mile in 46.29 seconds. Stephanie Got Even had just two horses beat approaching the quarter pole, angled out in the stretch, and went on to cover the distance on a wet but fast track in 1:12.18.

“That was a blast,” said Joe Martin, who co-owns and trains Stephanie Got Even.

But the celebration had to wait for a bit, as stewards looked into an objection lodged by Terry Thompson, the rider of favorite Decelerator, against Ernesto Oro, who was aboard Stephanie Got Even. It concerned potential interference in midstretch, but the stewards ruled there would be no change to the order of finish.

Stephanie Got Even has now won 5 of 7 starts and $85,573. She could remain in local stakes competition for her next start, said Martin. Oaklawn’s series for filly and mare sprinters include the $60,000 Spring Fever on Feb. 20 and the $60,000 Carousel on March 27.

Martin races Stephanie Got Even with his brother, Bill Martin, and the American Beauty win was their first stakes win at their home track of Oaklawn.