Strawberry Dawn prepping vs. the boys

AUBURN, Wash. – With no suitable fillies-only race on the immediate horizon, Dan Markle made the decision to try his promising 3-year-old filly Strawberry Dawn against the boys. Naturally, it’s one he hopes he doesn’t regret.

Strawberry Dawn drew post 3 and will be ridden by Felipe Valdez in Sunday’s seventh race, a $22,575 no-conditions allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs. Markle is using the race as a prep for the $50,000 Seattle Handicap on June 1.

“I’m hesitant to put this filly in with the boys because they might shred my trainer’s license,” Markle said early in the week. “But getting another race into her would be significant because the stakes race isn’t until the first of June.”

Strawberry Dawn powered to an 8 1/2-length victory in her season debut April 13, overwhelming four rivals in a first-level allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs. After settling into stride down the backstretch, Strawberry Dawn surged through an opening along the rail and kicked away while covering the final three-sixteenths in a quick 17.81 seconds.

“She ran lights out,” Markle said. “It was lucky to get that little seam on the inside and shoot up in there, but she run a really good race. She’s a nice little filly. She’s got really good reflexes and a nice way of going. She’s got a nice pedigree.”

A homebred for Sue and Tim Spooner, Strawberry Dawn is by Tribal Rule from the Pioneering mare Ruby Dawn. After an easy maiden victory in July, Strawberry Dawn finished second in a pair of stakes races for fillies before an off-the-board finish against males in the Gottstein Futurity to cap her 2-year-old year.

Markle had hoped for another allowance prep against fillies before the Seattle Handicap, but the race he targeted attracted just two entrants – Strawberry Dawn and multiple stakes winner Chu and You. Hence, another try against the boys.

“She’s ready to run back,” Markle said. “She’s doing as good as she can be doing.”