Sugar Fish (f, 3, Accelerate–Madeira Park, by Langfuhr), the longest shot at 5-1 in a short field of four, looked to lose all chance when she tumbled out of the gate as the sophomore fillies were sent on their way Saturday in the GII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita. She immediately lost at least three lengths on the field in the first few seconds and trailed as early fractions were clocked in :23.80 and :47.41. Previously unbeaten Jane Austen (Tapit), like Sugar Fish trying stakes company for the first time, showed the way as MGSW Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon) loomed menacingly in third with Juddmonte homebred Show Card (Into Mischief) in between as Sugar Fish hugged the rail from behind and regrouped.
“I thought we were done,” said winning trainer Jeff Mullins.
As the temp quickened on the turn, Nothing Like You collared Jane Austen as Show Card threw in the towel, but it was Sugar Fish who suddenly shot through on the inside to annihilate the race in the blink of an eye. She left the field far behind in the stretch, easing up late to finish 9 3/4 lengths the best. Nothing Like You outfinished Jane Austen by three-quarters of a length for the runner-up spot. Nothing Like You had been unbeaten in two previous tries at 1 1/16 miles: the GII Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 6 and last December's GII Starlet S. The 8 1/2 furlongs of the Summertime Oaks was Sugar Fish's first start at the distance.
“We were taking a big chance going into this race, but we've always known that she is a good filly,” said Mullins. “To stumble then overcome and win like she did. Down the backside I felt confident and when [jockey] Tyler [Baze] made the move on the turn and got through and nobody was coming, I said, 'It's over.'”
Previously trained as a 2-year-old by Librado Barocio, who got the first graded winner of his career a month ago with Visually (Enticed) in the GIII Senorita S. at Santa Anita, Sugar Fish moved to Mullins's barn for her 3-year-old campaign. After a second in February under a $40,000 tag sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs in Arcadia, she was entered for a $62,500 price at seven panels and romped by 10 lengths. She faced older at a mile in her first try against winners Apr. 26 and won again. The Summertime Oaks marked her first try in black-type as well as her third consecutive win.
Pedigree Notes:
Sugar Fish is the first graded winner for 2018 champion older male Accelerate, who also has three additional black-type winners. Although he originally stood at Lane's End, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner was pensioned last November and moved to the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park. Sugar Fish's broodmare sire, Langfuhr, also stood at Lane's End until his death at 31 last October. He has 83 stakes winners out of his daughters.
Madeira Park, winner of the 2013 GIII Ballerina S. at Hastings, is a full-sister to the dam of MSW Lookin At Lee (by Accelerate's sire, Lookin At Lucky), who finished second in the 2017 GI Kentucky Derby and placed in five other graded events. That mare also produced MGSW Blended Citizen (Proud Citizen) and SW & GISP Battlefield Angel (Proud Citizen). The latter is the dam of GSW Manny Wah (Will Take Charge). Madeira Park's most recent foal is a 2-year-old colt by Mitole named Mitole Park.
SUGAR FISH ($13.40) stumbled badly out of the gate but @tyler_baze waited patiently and slipped up the pine to pull away with the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2) at @santaanitapark. @Jmullinsracing trained the 3-year-old filly. Congrats to the connections! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5LeQ1ILVY9
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 8, 2024
Saturday, Santa Anita
SUMMERTIME OAKS-GII, $196,000, Santa Anita, 6-8, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.41, ft.
1–SUGAR FISH, 120, f, 3, by Accelerate
1st Dam: Madeira Park (GSW, $318,992), by Langfuhr
2nd Dam: Capilano, by Demons Begone
3rd Dam: Bella Isabella, by Conquistador Cielo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($40,000 Ylg
'22 KEESEP). O-Sweetwater Stable and Talla Racing LLC;
B-George Gilbert (KY); T-Jeff Mullins; J-Tyler Baze. $120,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, $189,540. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Nothing Like You, 124, f, 3, Malibu Moon–Miss Derek, by
Brother Derek. ($67,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $20,000 Ylg '22
KEESEP; $190,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Georgia Antley Hunt,
Jeff Giglio and John L. Rogitz.; B-Notch Hill Farm, Wolverton
Mountain Farm & Spendthrift Stallions, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$40,000.
3–Jane Austen, 120, f, 3, Tapit–Shayjolie, by Indian Charlie.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($750,000 Ylg '22
FTSAUG). O-Muir Hut Stables, LLC; B-Speedway Stables LLC
(KY); T-Mark Glatt. $24,000.
Margins: 9 3/4, 3/4, 9 1/4. Odds: 5.70, 0.50, 3.80.
Also Ran: Show Card.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
