Creative Instinct Earns First Stakes Win at Del Mar

Gary Barber's Creative Instinct got fight from first time starter Mucho Unusual, but ultimately experience prevailed in the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes Aug. 29 at Del Mar.

With a pressing, outside trip in the six-furlong stakes for California-bred or -sired 2-year-old fillies, the Peter Miller-trained daughter of Creative Cause  wore down Mucho Unusual in the stretch and pulled away late to win by 2 1/4 lengths under jockey Tyler Baze in a final time of 1:12.24.

"The first-time starter ran a huge race and gave us a real battle, but I think (Creative Instinct's) experience and fitness paid off the last eighth of a mile," Miller said. "We'll keep her against Cal-bred company for as long as we can, but she's a quality filly."

The top two were only a head apart through a half-mile, with fractions of :22.48 and :46.03, and George Krikorian's Mucho Unusual, a Mucho Macho Man  filly trained by Tim Yakteen, finished 5 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Swing Thoughts, who was also close to the early pace but couldn't keep up.

"She ran an excellent race. First time—she really ran well," said Mucho Unusual's jockey, Flavien Prat.

Baze said after the race that Creative Instinct, who broke her maiden with a 3 3/4-length victory Aug. 1 in a six-furlong Cal-bred maiden special weight, could get better as the distances get longer.

"She's a big filly—huge—with a long stride on her," Baze said. "She's going to be so much better when they go two turns. Can't wait for that."

Bred by The Revocable Trust of Dr. Mikel Harrington and Patricia Harr, out of the Swiss Yodeler mare Teacher Teacher, Creative Instinct was a $285,000 purchase by Justin Casse, agent, out of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in training. She now has $93,000 in earnings from her two starts.

Video: Generous Portion S. (BT)