Enola Gray strong 4-5 favorite in Fleet Treat

Unbeaten (2-for-2) Enola Gray drew the outside post in a field of seven and was made the 4-5 morning line favorite by track oddsmaker Russ Hudak for Friday’s $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred fillies at seven furlongs.

Enola Gray, a 3-year-old daughter of Grazen trained by Phil D’Amato for owner Nick Alexander, won her first career start, April 10 at Santa Anita, by 16 ¼ lengths and came back to take the Melair Stakes on May 28 by 2 ¼ lengths, both under Tyler Baze.

The Fleet Treat field from the rail out: Roo’s Valentine (Martin Pedroza, 12-1), Allsquare (Joe Talamo, 6-1), The Spiral Jetter (Santiago Gonzalez, 20-1), Be a Lady (Gary Stevens, 20-1),  Run for Retts (Flavien Prat, 6-1), Fantasy of Luck (Rafael Bejarano, 3-1) and Enola Gray (Tyler Baze, 4-5).

RECORD SETTER CHASING ACES TARGETED FOR BEST PAL
 

Chasing Aces, who  broke a 52-year-old track record for five furlongs by covering the distance in 56.21 on Sunday, came out of the race well and could come back in the  Grade II $200,000  Best Pal Stakes on August 13, trainer Peter Miller said Wednesday.

“He’s always trained like a good horse,” Miller said. “But you never expect anything like a track record.”

Chasing Aces, a 2-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Flatter owned by Rockingham Ranch set the record in only his second lifetime start. In his career debut on June 25 at Santa Anita, Chasing Aces was runner-up, 1 ¼ lengths behind Silver Assault in a five-furlong event won in :57.20.

Chasing Aces eclipsed the mark of : 56 2/5 by 3-year-old filly Soldier Girl in 1964, which equaled the world record at the time.

It was one of four starts at the 1964 Del Mar meeting, all wire-to-wire wins, for Soldier Girl, a daughter of Guerrero owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Tusquellas, trained by Charlie Comiskey and ridden by John Longden.

On August 1, Soldier Girl won the second division of the Oceanside Stakes against colts by three lengths in 1:08 4/5 for six furlongs. Twelve days later was the track record for five furlongs, again against colts. Nine days later, in the Big Crosby Handicap, she bested boys  again winning by 2 ½ lengths in 1:09 2/5.

Given what for her must have seemed a lengthy 18-day respite, Soldier Girl prevailed against older females in the Palomar Handicap by two lengths in 1:09 2/5.

CLOSERS – Shh She’s Ours  puts a four-race winning streak on the line in Wednesday’s featured $75,000 CERF Stakes. The most recent, all under Victor Espinoza for the Jim Cassidy trainee, came in the Desert Stormer on June 26 at Santa Anita. The field from the rail out: Enchanting Lady (Rafael Bejarano, 5-2), Pretty N Cool (Mike Smith, 3-1), Everqueen (Mario Gutierrez, 10-1), Dr. Fager’s Girl (Martin Garcia, 5-1), Lucky Folie (Flavien Prat, 10-1) and Shh She’s Ours (Victor Espinoza, 8-5) … Defending Bing Crosby Stakes winner Wild Dude has been sold to Irish interests to stand stud on the Emerald Isle, trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer said … Selected workouts from 302 officially timed over the last three mornings: Monday – Follow Me Crev (4f, :48.00), Lord Nelson (5f, 1:00.80), Hoppertunity (6f, 1:12.00), Om (6f, 1:15.20); Tuesday – Dream Team (5f, :1:02.40), Jade Princess (5f, 1:02.40); Wednesday – Majestic Heat (4f, :50.40), American Freedom (6f, 1:12.20), Drefong (6f, 1:13.00).  

Source: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club