Fantastic Faiza Returns in Torrey Pines

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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Faiza training in advance of the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course

The sensation that is Faiza  looks to get back on track in the Sept. 2 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies going one mile at Del Mar. A winner of her first five starts, including a runaway 6 1/2-length score in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) in April, the Girvin   filly disappointed last time out as a heavy favorite in the George E. Mitchell Black Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course

"When the running started she didn't have that kick that she usually has," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. "She ran a good race; she just wasn't good enough. She did everything right but win."

Faiza can still be considered among the leaders of the 3-year-old filly division based on the Santa Anita Oaks and a similarly impressive effort before that in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) but she gave up significant ground in the pursuit for championship honors by missing the Kentucky Oaks (G1) due to Baffert's suspension from Churchill Downs Inc. tracks that prevented his sophomores from earning Kentucky Derby (G1) and Oaks qualifying points. 

Pretty Mischievous  won the Kentucky Oaks and has added two more grade 1s since, leaving Faiza and anyone else with only one plausible path to an Eclipse Award, which would be to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). The $150,000 Torrey Pines has previously served as a steppingstone to the Breeders' Cup for West Coast talents like Stellar Wind  and Beholder 

Faiza, owned by Michael Lund Petersen, will break from post 9, a tough task for regular rider Flavien Prat with a short run into the first turn aboard a filly that has never made the lead early. This might be the day to try it, though, coming in fresh off a layoff and showing a bullet gate breeze (of 81 at five furlongs) Sunday. 

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Other contenders in the field of 10 include Ocean Club , a Glen Hill Farm homebred moving back to dirt after a second to Anisette  in the San Clemente Stakes (G2T) in July, and Ceiling Crusher , who won a pair of California-bred stakes at Santa Anita Park by 15 1/2 and 17 lengths earlier this season for trainer Doug O'Neill. 

The Torrey Pines is race 8 on the undercard of the featured Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). In between those two is the Green Flash Handicap (G3T) featuring an oversubscribed field of veteran turf sprinters. The Green Flash serves as a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: "Win and You're In" race offering a fees-paid berth and expenses-paid travel for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). 

High-weighted Bran  (124 pounds) won last year's $1 million Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs but has not raced since. The gelding was scratched by the state vet the morning of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) last November.

Bran gallops at the Keeneland Race Course Thursday Nov. 3, 2022 in Lexington, KY. Photo by Skip Dickstein
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Bran gallops two days before he was scratched the morning of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland

Lane Way  (123) was second to Lieutenant Dan  in this race last year. 

Motorious  (123) was last seen finishing second in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs

Beer Can Man  (122) won one of this division's toughest annual races, the Turf Monster Stakes (G3T) at Parx Racing, via DQ last summer. 


Entries: Torrey Pines S. (G3)

Del Mar, Saturday, September 02, 2023, Race 8

  • Grade III
  • 1m
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 5:07 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Justique (KY) Mike E. Smith 118 John A. Shirreffs 8/1
2 2Infinite Diamond (KY) Joe Bravo 124 Patrick L. Biancone 15/1
3 3Flying Connection (KY) Umberto Rispoli 124 Todd W. Fincher 15/1
4 4Coffee in Bed (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 118 Richard E. Mandella 12/1
5 5Olivia Twist (KY) Antonio Fresu 124 Todd W. Fincher 20/1
6 6Anywho (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 John W. Sadler 5/1
7 7Ocean Club (KY) Drayden Van Dyke 122 Thomas F. Proctor 8/1
8 8Pink Ace (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 118 Philip D'Amato 20/1
9 9Faiza (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Bob Baffert 8/5
10 10Ceiling Crusher (CA) Edwin A. Maldonado 124 Doug F. O'Neill 3/1


Entries: Green Flash H. (G3T)

Del Mar, Saturday, September 02, 2023, Race 9

  • Grade IIIT
  • 5f
  • Turf
  • $150,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 5:39 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Fast Buck (CA) Diego A. Herrera 122 Cesar DeAlba 6/1
2 2Kid Corleone (CA) Kent J. Desormeaux 120 Doug F. O'Neill 10/1
3 3Turn On The Jets (IRE) Hector Isaac Berrios 122 Philip D'Amato 6/1
4 4Silent Poet (ON) Armando Ayuso 119 John W. Sadler 30/1
5 5Beer Can Man (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Philip D'Amato 6/1
6 6Lane Way (KY) Mike E. Smith 123 Richard E. Mandella 5/1
7 7Noble Reflection (KY) Mario Gutierrez 120 George Papaprodromou 15/1
8 8Motorious (GB) Umberto Rispoli 123 Philip D'Amato 4/1
9 9Cherubic Factor (KY) Antonio Fresu 120 Peter Eurton 15/1
10 10Bran (FR) Juan J. Hernandez 124 John W. Sadler 5/1
11 11Bus Buzz (CA) Edwin A. Maldonado 116 Steve R. Knapp 12/1
12 12Packs a Wahlop (KY) Flavien Prat 116 Jeff Mullins 12/1
13 13Helladic (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 115 Ryan Hanson 20/1
14 14Mas Rapido (GB) Joe Bravo 115 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 20/1
15 15Barristan The Bold (GB) Geovanni Franco 116 Librado Barocio 30/1