Cash Call & Howin finish 1-2 for Baffert in Summertime Oaks

Making her stakes debut and first start around two turns, Cash Call outbattled stablemate Howin in the stretch to win the Grade 3, $100,000 Summertime Oaks featuring five 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Santa Anita.

With Juan Hernández aboard for trainer Bob Baffert, who was at Belmont Stakes day in Saratoga, Cash Call (1-2) settled just off the pace while racing outside in the clear. Howin (9-2) went to the lead and set fractions of 23.50, 47.54 and 1:11.63 for six furlongs.

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Cash Call ranged up to her stablemate near the quarter pole, took a slight lead at the top of the stretch and then outran stubborn Howin to the finish to win by three-quarters of a length. It was another four lengths back to Our Moonlight, the 5-2 second choice, in third.

Cash Call won with a time of 1:43.62 on the fast main track.

In her previous start, Cash Call romped by five lengths in a first-level allowance going six furlongs May 18 at Santa Anita. She is 3-for-3 as a 3-year-old after dropping her first two starts as a 2-year-old.

“At the barn they’ve always liked this filly,” Hernández said. “I think she just wasn’t ready in her first couple of races. But now that’s she a little older, she’s getting better. ... She showed a lot of heart and talent today. She broke sharp. I was in a good spot, she was happy on the outside. She relaxed beautifully and was traveling so well. She was in a good rhythm waiting for me to shake the reins. When I did she picked it up and hit the wire first.”

By McKinzie, Cash Call improved to 5: 3-1-1 with $154,080 in earnings for owner CSLR Racing Partners. She was bought for $600,000 at last year’s OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Cash Call paid $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10. Howin, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, returned $3.20 and $2.10. Our Moonlight, with Tiago Pereira up for trainer Dean Pederson, paid $2.10.