Swift Lady wins third straight in Sweet Life Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif.- Swift Lady has found a home on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.

Sunday, Swift Lady ($4.20) won her second consecutive start on the surface, third straight race, and first stakes, in the $79,080 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Ridden by Martin Garcia, Swift Lady ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:13.04.

“We knew she’s really quick,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “I’m glad she likes the turf. When I worked her on the dirt, I was worried about her.”

Swift Lady stalked pacesetter Uptown Twirl for the first half-mile before taking the lead crossing from the hillside turf course to the oval section of the turf course. Swift Lady led by 2 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go and won by 2 1/4 lengths over Nodiac, a maiden race winner on the hillside on Jan. 17.

“I like the way she sat off that horse,” Baffert said.

Decked Out, a 7-1 shot, finished third, followed by Jeremy’s Legacy, Uptown Twirl, Do the Dance, How Unusual, Corps de Ballet, and Pageant Material.

Swift Lady, by Awesome Again stallion Awesome of Course, has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $122,420. She beat maidens in her second start at Los Alamitos on Dec. 3. Baffert said that Swift Lady will remain on turf at the current winter-spring meeting.

The filly is owned by Baoma Corp. and was purchased for $170,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Company’s sale of 2-year-olds in-training last June.