Big Summer earns first career stakes win at Santa Anita

Two-for-two down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course coming into Saturday’s $200,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, the Carla Gaines-conditioned Big Summer was all heart in winning her biggest race to date by three quarters of a length.

Ridden by Joe Bravo, Big Summer, a 5-year-old mare by Mr. Big, got about 6 1/2 furlongs over good downhill turf in 1:13.10.

In hand from her rail post out of the gate, Big Summer tracked the early leaders to the half mile pole, took the lead and was inside a four-horse spread at the dirt crossing three sixteenths of a mile out.  Although she appeared to stay on her left lead, Big Summer was tenacious on the lead and held off a determined Eddie’s New Dream late.

Bred by Bob Abrams and Michael Dutko, Big Summer, who is out of the Cee’s Tizzy mare Ultimate Summer, is owned by Robert Abrams, Mitchell Dutko and Michael Paran.

Most recently second going six furlongs on Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 10, Big Summer was off at 7-2 and paid $9.80, $4.60 and $2.60.

In winning her first stakes, Big Summer improved her overall mark to 11: 4-5-2. With today’s winner’s share of $110,000, she increased her earnings to $315,160.

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Eddie’s New Dream was off at 3-1 and paid $4.20 and $2.60 while finishing a half length in front of favored Alice Marble.

Off at 6-5, Alice Marble, who was ridden by Flavien Prat, finished three lengths clear of a late closing Tam’s Little Angel and paid $2.10 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.21, 44.29 and 1:07.17.