Taris stalks to victory in Rancho Bernardo

DEL MAR, Calif. – At less than her apparent peak fitness, Taris was brilliant Sunday in the $100,500 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for filly and mare sprinters at Del Mar.

Taris had an ideal trip under jockey Gary Stevens, stalking the pace to the stretch before pulling away to win the Grade 3 race by 2 3/4 lengths as the even-money favorite. The Rancho Bernardo was the first start for Taris since a second in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita last December.

Taris emerged from that race with a fractured ankle that required the insertion of a stabilizing screw and a lengthy recovery. She seemed fully recovered, judging from her performance Sunday.

“It’s amazing that she came back this quick,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “I think she’s 85 percent. She’s a natural athlete and very clean-winded.”

The win puts Taris closer to an intended start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31. Callaghan said Taris could run in the $100,000 L.A. Woman Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs Oct. 4 at Santa Anita.

In the Rancho Bernardo, Taris ($4.20) ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.31. A 4-year-old filly, Taris stalked the pacesetter Wasted at Midnight through early fractions of 22.59 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.39 for the first half-mile before taking the lead in early stretch. Taris pulled clear through the final furlong.

“He let her cruise around there,” Callaghan said of Stevens’ ride. “That was perfect.”

Baruta, a Brazilian-bred mare making her stakes debut, closed from fifth of seven to finish second, a neck in front of the 11-1 Uzziel. Wasted at Midnight was fourth, followed by Sam’s Sister, Oscar Party, and Tesalina.

Sam’s Sister, the winner of the 2014 La Brea, was a disappointment. Sent off as the 3-1 third choice, Sam’s Sister never was a factor, racing in sixth and fifth for the first half-mile.

Taris, by Flatter, was purchased for $2.35 million at auction last November shortly after winning the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at seven furlongs by nine lengths at Keeneland in October. Taris races for Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, the trio behind Ireland’s powerful Coolmore bloodstock operation.

Taris has won 5 of 7 starts and has earned $395,700.

Callaghan contemplated waiting for the L.A. Woman Stakes to run Taris but said the filly had impressed him in recent training.

“She’s been training so well,” he said. “We felt the right thing was to run her.”