Tarlow wins Santa Margarita

ARCADIA, Calif. - At 2, Tarlow was sometimes her own worst enemy, fighting nerves instead of rival fillies. But as she's grown older, Tarlow has developed into a top-class filly and a multiple stakes winner.

Saturday, Tarlow won the first Grade 1 of her career in the $300,000 at Santa Anita. She held off a late run from Dream of Summer to score by a nose.

Breaking from the outside post in a strong field of nine older fillies and mares, Tarlow led throughout under Patrick Valenzuela. She set a quick pace of 23.40 and 46.99, led by a length on the backstretch and in midstretch, and was fully extended in the final furlong. Tarlow ($15.) finished 1 1-8 miles in 1:49.41.

Miss Loren, the 5-2 favorite and 118-pound topweight, finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Dream of Summer. The winner of the Grade 1 Santa Maria Handicap last month, Miss Loren was making her first start for Ernie Moody's Mercedes Stable, having been purchased privately in late February.

Tarlow, 4, races for Jerry and Ann Moss and is trained by John Shirreffs. Second in the 2003 Oak Leaf Stakes and ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies that year, Tarlow won the first stakes of her career in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies here last month. Overall, Tarlow has won 4 of 10 starts and $439,740.

"Racing has helped her," Shirreffs said. "She has improved instead of going the other way. She was high-strung at 2."

*Cozy Guy ($8.20) won his first stakes since the California Cup Classic in the $109,800 Crystal Water Handicap for state-breds.

A slight favorite, Cozy Guy stalked pacesetter Early Snow and rallied past that gelding to win by a length. Trained by Dan Hendricks and ridden by Alex Solis, Cozy Guy finished a mile on turf in 1:33.50.

Early Snow, a 15-1 outsider, set an early pace of 22.73 and 46.79 seconds. Running Free, who fought with Early Snow for the lead, finished third in the field of eight.

Cozy Guy pulled a 20-1 upset in the California Cup Classic last October. Owned by Lance and Jeff Hayes and Jerry Higman, Cozy Guy has won 7 of 18 starts and $418,104.

*Thatswhatimean won her stakes and turf debut in the $85,300 China Doll Stakes.

Ridden by Rene Douglas, Thatswhatimean ($14.20) finished a mile in 1:34.44.

Thatswhatimean followed pacesetter Cee's Irish to early stretch before Douglas guided her to the outside. With a stretch-long rally, Thatswhatimean took the lead in the final 100 yards, scoring by a neck.

Cee's Irish finished a half-length in front of On London Time in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies. Conveyor's Angel, the 2-1 favorite, finished sixth.

Thatswhatimean has won 2 of 5 starts and $95,700 for owner B. Wayne Hughes and trainer Warren Stute.