Hollywood Starlet

Senji Nishimura's ROMANCE IS DIANE (In Excess [Ire]) swept to the lead

turning for home and powered clear to a convincing one-length win in the

$459,250 Hollywood Starlet S. (G1) over the Cushion Track on Sunday. The dark

bay two-year-old miss rated in third off the swift early splits set by Tizthen (Tiznow),

who went :22 3/5 and :44 2/5 for the opening half-mile, and inched closer at the

six-furlong mark, which was reached by Super Freaky (Smart Strike) in 1:10 1/5.

At the head of the stretch, David Flores asked his mount for run and she

responded, pulling clear in the matter of a few jumps and cruising home a facile

victress.

The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:42 3/5, and the winner gave back

healthy mutuels of $31, $12.40 and $7.60 at 14-1 for Mike Mitchell. Quick Little

Miss (Freud) put in her customary strong late rush but never threatened the top

one. The runner-up paid $6.80 and $3.80 at 7-1 and completed the $98.40 exacta

($1). Down (Mr. Greeley) dwelt when the gates opened and spotted the field

nearly 18 lengths early, but the maiden closed with a fury on the outtermost part of

the track to gain third. The 3-1 second choice was

worth $3.80 and sat on the bottom of the $531.10 trifecta ($1). Hucking Hot (GB)

(Desert Prince [Ire]) was next and finished off the $9,165.20 superfecta ($1)

(7-6-8-5) at

23-1.

Mystic Soul (Bahri) was another 1 1/4 lengths back and followed by She's

Included (Include), High Cholesterol (Until Sundown), 5-2 choice Mistical Plan

(Game Plan), Super Freaky, Runway Rosie (Include), Betrluckythangood (More Than

Ready) and a distant Tizthen. Baroness Thatcher (Johannesburg) was declared from

the race by her conditioner earlier in the day.

Romance is Diane captured her third race in succession following an

off-the-board-finish in her debut, and boosted her bankroll to $376,150 with the

winners' share. The dark bay was victorious in the California Cup Juvenile

Fillies S. most recently.

Bred in the Golden State by Swan Equine Services Co., the winner was produced

from the winning Romantic Fibs (Prized) and is a full-sister to 2001 Del Mar

Derby (G2) hero Romanceishope. Romantic Fibs is also responsible for the

yearling colt Romance is Zenon (Fusaichi Zenon [Jpn]).