Faiza passes distance test in Grade 1 Starlet for Baffert

Odds-on favorite Faiza outlasted stubborn long shot Pride of the Nile to provide trainer Bob Baffert with a sixth-straight win in the Grade 1, $300,000 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos on Saturday. 

Exiting a sharp debut win going six furlongs at Del Mar four weeks ago, Faiza rallied wide on the second turn under Flavien Prat to catch pacesetting stablemate Doingitthehardway (6-1) and Pride of the Nile (12-1), who had slipped through on the rail to also draw into contention. 

Faiza came in slightly at the top of the stretch, which would prompt a stewards' inquiry, but then outran Pride of the Nile to win by a head in a final time of 1:44.69 for 1 1/16 miles. After review, stewards left the order of finish unchanged. 

"She traveled well the entire way," Prat said of the winner. "She switched leads at the head of the stretch and there was a little bumping, but I really didn’t feel anything. Both her and (runner-up Pride of the Nile) ran very hard to the wire.’’

Uncontrollable checked in third followed by Doingitthehardway and Blessed Touch. The Starlet awards qualifying points to next year's Kentucky Oaks on a 10-4-3-2-1 scale to the to five finishers. However, Faiza and Doingitthehardway will not receive points as a result of Baffert's two-year ban from the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.

Faiza paid $3.00.

This was a record ninth Starlet win overall for Baffert. He broke a tie with fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the race eight times with the last coming in 2014 with Take Charge Brandi. Baffert's first three wins came when the race was held at Hollywood Park.  

‘’This place is special to me and especially on the day of the Champion of Champions," Baffert said. "I have such great memories and Los Alamitos just means a lot to me. To win this race this many times is a tribute to the clientele I have and a great staff that works with me. It’s a team effort.

"(Faiza) has always shown she’s a special filly and she had to be special today to win just off one maiden race," Baffert continued. "She’s still green, but I think she has a big future in front of her. I think she’s going to get better with age, but we’ve loved her from the start and she’s by one of the hottest sires (Girvin) going right now.’’

Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Faiza is by Girvin out of the Smart Strike mare Sweet Pistol. She was a $725,000 auction purchase last year. 

Fractions of the race were 23.36, 47.87 and 1:12.86 for six furlongs.