Elm Drive Prevails in Angel's Flight for D'Amato

The Phil D'Amato train not only rolls on, it's picking up steam, as the trainer knocked down his second stakes win of the weekend May 8 in the $75,000 Angel's Flight Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Idle since well beaten going two turns on Oct. 1, Little Red Feather Racing's Elm Drive  made every pole a winning one in taking the Angel's Flight by 2 1/4 lengths while getting seven furlongs under Ricky Gonzalez in 1:23.97 on a fast track.

With a scratch earlier today of odds-on morning-line favorite Eda , the Angel's Flight took on the look of a wide-open affair, but Elm Drive, who opened up turning for home when challenged, was dominant as she notched her second stakes victory.

"She broke sharp and just showed she was in command every step of the way and had a little extra to kick away in the stretch," said D'Amato, who leads the trainer standings with 38 wins and is one up on the suspended Bob Baffert for the lead in stakes victories, with 12. "I'm very happy with her comeback. Seven-eighths is a tricky distance to win at off the bench, and I'm glad we did it. I think she'll get a lot out of this race."

Winner of the Sorrento Stakes (G2) going six furlongs at Del Mar in her second start last year, Elm Drive then suffered major defeats in the Sept. 5 Del Mar Debutante (G1) and the Oct. 1 Chandelier Stakes (G2).

With time off and a return to sprinting, she was off as the 2-1 second choice among a field of five 3-year-old fillies and paid $6.00, $3.20 and $2.40.

"I've been working her and we knew she was going to be a little sharp, so the main thing for her was to get a breather in between," said Gonzalez, who was aboard for the first time. "She broke really fast, so I just took the lead and I let her settle a little bit. Once she went :46 at the half, I knew the race was over. She just flew home after that."

Elm Drive, a Kentucky-bred by Mohaymen  , out of the Indian Charlie mare Lets Dance Charlie, is 3-for-5, and she increased her earnings to $195,640.

Kirstenbosch  elicited a considerable roar from the Mother's Day crowd when she mounted a stretch rally from last under Tyler Baze, finishing 2 3/4 lengths in front of favored Empire Gal .

Empire Gal, ridden by Victor Espinoza, loomed menacingly at the top of the lane but couldn't go with the winner, finishing 1 1/2 lengths in front of longshot Unsolved Mystery, who was fourth.