Wire job in debut sets up Fibonaccis Ride for stakes on Breeders' Cup weekend

Fibonaccis Ride won her debut in a maiden race for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos on Sunday, giving owner and breeder James Shenouda and trainer Cesar DeAlba the hope she will be racing in stakes very soon.

Fibonaccis Ride, who was ridden by Diego Herrera, led throughout a five-furlong race, drawing away by six lengths as the 2-1 second choice in a field of six.

The victory could lead to a start in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies for statebreds at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 1, the first day of the Breeders’ Cup races.

“I had high hopes for her,” DeAlba said. “She’s shown she can run and she’s done everything just right. She’s been nice to deal with.”

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DeAlba, a former top Quarter Horse jockey, has stakes hopes for Fast Buck, the winner of the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in May 2023.

Fast Buck may start in one of two races on the hillside course in coming weeks – the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on Sept. 28, or the $100,000 California Flag Handicap for statebreds on Oct. 13.

The Eddie D Stakes has a purse of $750,000 this year, increased from $200,000 last year as a promotion by the track’s parent company, 1/ST Racing, in an effort to build interest in the Sept. 28 program.

Understandably, DeAlba, who co-owns Fast Buck with Shenouda’s Zephyr Racing, is aiming for the Eddie D Stakes.

“We’ll try to get in,” he said. “Preferably, we’ll go for the big money.”

Fast Buck has started twice this year, in five-furlong turf races at the Del Mar summer meeting. Fast Buck was fourth in an allowance race on Aug. 2 in his first start in 11 months, and fifth in the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap on Aug. 31.

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