Comebacking Pretty N Cool fires big shot in Las Flores

In a driving rain, comebacking Pretty N Cool surged to the front five sixteenths of a mile from home en route to a decisive 1 ¾ length win over favored Constellation in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita. Ridden by Martin Garcia and trained by Bob Baffert, the 4-year-old grey daughter of Scat Daddy got six furlongs over a fast track in 1:10.49.

“She was ready today and I think this is her best distance, six furlongs,” said Garcia. “She has a lot of natural speed. She likes to run with time in between races and does well when she gets it. It was a tough race today but she was pretty impressive. She came back strong.”

A multiple graded stakes winner who had been idle since Sept. 2, Pretty N Cool was off at 9-2 in a field of five older fillies and mares and paid $11.80, $4.60 and $2.80.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Pretty N Cool picked up her third graded stakes win and improved her overall mark to 11-5-1-1. With the winner’s share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $498,905.

“If you look at her work pattern, she was ready to run today and Bobby is pretty good off a layoff,” said Pegram. “She looked pretty good today. With this rain, this one was for the love of the game!”

Constellation, who came off a win here in the Grade I La Brea Stakes going seven furlongs on Dec. 26, was gaining gradually on the winner late, but the verdict was never in doubt through the drive. Off as the 4-5 favorite with Flavien Prat, she finished three quarters of a length in front of Ponder Lea and paid $2.80 and $2.10.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano and dispatched at 17-1, Ponder Lea overhauled early pacesetter Sensitively to finish third by 2 ¼ lengths and paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.88, 44.63 and 56.87.

With a carryover from Saturday of $335,216 serving as a pari-mutuel catalyst, more than $2.5 million in “new money” poured into Sunday’s 50 cent Pick 5 pool at Santa Anita, creating a massive total pool of $2,881,240.

The popular wager, which features a low 14 percent takeout, paid $11,880.30, as there were 213 winning tickets.

Win mutuels on the first five Santa Anita races were $5.60 (Royal F J), $11.40 (Champagne Charley), $11.80 (Pretty N Cool), $15.40 (Broke Away Grey) and $10.60 (Rainbow Squall).

Racing will resume at Santa Anita on Thursday, with first post time at 1 p.m.Admission gates will open at 11 a.m.For scratches, changes and complete morning line information, please visit santaanita.com.