Two hot fillies meet in sprint

SAN MATEO, Calif. - It was probably only a matter of time before the paths of Jewels of Bagdad and Lunachick intertwined.

The two 3-year-old fillies, both of whom are undefeated at Bay Meadows, meet Sunday in the $55,000-added Winners' Foundation Sprint at six furlongs.

They have five rivals, including recent maiden winners R Fast Lady and Iknowicaniknowican, and Sneaky Jack, who comes off an allowance win here. Kash Klip and Gottahavemilk round out the field.

Since being purchased privately by Mark Cornett and Robert Beck after her debut, has turned in two sizzling performances.

"The guy who bought her is a sharp guy who does his own numbers," said trainer Steve Miyadi of Cornett. "He places his horses where they have an advantage."

After being beaten four lengths by Off the Richter in her debut Feb. 4 at Santa Anita, Lunachick scored a wire-to-wire victory in her second start March 19 at Bay Meadows, winning her maiden by 6 1/2 lengths in her first start for Miyadi.

Because she had run for a $40,000 tag in her debut, she was eligible for a starter allowance race April 7 and won by 13 lengths under jockey Russell Baze, earning a 100 Beyer.

"There's not a whole lot you can say when they win like that," Miyadi said. "Russell sometimes will use his stick to keep horses going even when they're 10 lengths ahead, but he never uncocked it that day."

Lunachick's connections were considering going to Kentucky but opted to stay home for Sunday's stakes.

will try to stretch her win streak to four Sunday, and trainer Art Sherman said he is pleased with her progress. She began her career winning a $20,000 maiden claimer. Since then, Jewels of Bagdad has won a starter allowance and a first-level allowance.

"We thought she'd be okay, but she runs better than she trains," he said. "She just does what she has to do in the morning, but she's a trier when she races."

Always on the pace, Jewels of Bagdad does not have the speed of her rivals here, and Sherman said he is interested to see how she will handle the role of a stalker.