Dearest Wins Azalea, Saratoga's Test Next Stop

Gelfenstein Farm’s rising star Dearest lived up to the bettors’ expectations Saturday at Gulfstream Park, registering a comfortable 1 ½-length victory in the $100,000 Azalea Stakes at 1-5 odds.

The Azalea, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, was one of nine stakes on Saturday’s $1.125 Summit of Speed program that featured the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2) and the $250,000 Smile Sprint (G2), a pair of Breeders’ Cup ‘Win & You’re In’ events.

Dearest ($2.40) scored her fourth triumph in five lifetime starts while running seven furlongs in 1:22.81 under jockey Emisael Jaramillo. Smartly Agree, a 25-1 longshot ridden by Javier Castellano, finished second, 5 ¼ lengths ahead of Ballet Diva in the six-horse field.

“The jockey lost the whip at the beginning of the race, but she won easily and won in a good time,” trainer Gilberto Zerpa said.

Dearest broke alertly to stalk the pace set by Ballet Diva along the backstretch and into the far turn during fractions of 23.25 (seconds) and 45.65. The odds-on favorite began to assert herself leaving the turn into the homestretch and continued on to post a solid score over the late-closing Smartly Agree despite drifting late. Ballet Diva, ridden by Jose Caraballo, held on to finish third.

“I didn’t get worried, she was in a perfect position,” Jaramillo said. “She has a lot of class.”

Dearest debuted with a victory at Gulfstream Park West last fall and came right back to score in an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Jan. 17. The daughter of Midshipman sustained her first loss in her third start, finishing third behind Cathryn Sophia and Lewis Bay in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Feb. 27. Cathryn Sophia and Lewis Bay, came back to finish first and third, respectively, in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs May 6. Dearest returned with a dominating six-length victory in the June 4 Royal Palm at Gulfstream to set up Saturday’s triumph in the Azalea.

“She’ll go to Saratoga. She’s going to run in stakes at seven-furlongs for 3-year-olds [Grade 1 Test, Aug. 6],” said Zerpa, whose ultimate goal for the Kentucky-bred filly is the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).

Source: Gulfstream Park