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Include Me Out takes Hollywood by 'Storm'

Include Me Out had no trouble in taking her seasonal bow in the Desert Stormer (Benoit Photos) Jay Em Ess Stable's Include Me Out came three wide around the turn in Sunday's $77,070 Desert Stormer Handicap at Hollywood Park, but that just meant the dark bay mare avoided the trouble between stablemate Teddy's Promise and pacesetter Shumoos, leaving the way clear for her to post a three-quarter length victory under jockey Joe Talamo. "I was real surprised I was that close to the lead," Talamo admitted. "She broke so sharp, I didn't want to jerk her back. I really thought I'd be laying at least four of five lengths off the pace." In the graded caliber field of seven, Include Me Out settled into fourth on the backstretch as Shumoos did all the running on the inside through splits of :22 2/5, :45 3/5 and :57 3/5. Rounding the turn, Teddy's Promise and jockey Victor Espinoza tried to sidle up between Shumoos and the rail, but appeared to bounce off the fence and into the pacesetter. The pair quickly regained their footing, but by that point Include Me Out had already circled her rivals and taken command. All it took was a tap of the whip from Talamo and Include Me Out surged to the front, easily holding on under mild urging to finish six furlongs over the Cushion Track in 1:10 1/5. Sent off the 4-1 third choice, Include Me Out paid $10.40, $5.40 and $2.80 for taking her five-year-old bow in the Desert Stormer.

"We knew we had a good shot today but this was only her first race back," Talamo said. "She won pretty handily. I think if I would have really asked her, she could have won by more. For her to go from routes to back sprinting like that is pretty impressive. That just goes to show how classy she is."

Include Me Out's last win came in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar last August, and the Ron Ellis trainee concluded her 2012 season with third-place runs in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic and Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita.

"That was a workout for Include Me Out. She's a super filly," Ellis stated. "She was worn out when she ran third last year (in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic). She's come back really well from the rest."

Now owning a 14-7-3-2 career mark -- including wins in last year's Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational, Grade 2 La Canada and Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap -- Include Me Out has reached nearly $1 million in earnings having banked $956,030.

While Ellis was happy with the winner, the trainer did express displeasure with the stewards' decision to disallow Espinoza's claim of foul against Shumoos and jockey Corey Nakatani for interference rounding the turn.

"That filly (Shumoos) was all was all over the track. It wasn't just at the top of the stretch," he asserted. "(Teddy's Promise) kept trying to come back. I think she would have won because she's not the best at getting trapped on the inside."

"I had plenty of room when (Shumoos) bumped me. I was already in there. I almost hit the rail. She got intimidated, but she still tried to come back," Espinoza added.

Group 3 winner Shumoos had just a head to spare at the wire over Grade 1 victress Teddy's Promise, who improved on her fifth-place run in the Desert Stormer 12 months ago.

"Last year, she totally quit," Ellis remarked. "This year, she tried to fight back. It was a game effort. We'll see about the (Grade 2, $200,000) A Gleam (Handicap on July 13)."

Conkate, who was making her stakes debut in this spot, finished fourth, a neck up on Grade 3 victress Winding Way. Fellow Grade vixen Via Villaggio filled the sixth spot while Grade 1 runner-up Self Preservation ran in last throughout. Candrea and Givine were both scratched.

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