My Summer Slew rallies in Kerlan; Scenic Blast fourth

Unzip Me still held the advantage through five furlongs in :56 3/5, but My

Summer Slew was bearing down in midstretch. The Craig Dollase charge challenged

Unzip Me, wore down the filly, and edged away to score by three-quarters of a

length. The winner zipped six furlongs on the firm turf in 1:08 2/5 and returned

$9.20, $4.80 and $3 as the 7-2 second choice.

"I tried to stay close to (Unzip Me) because I thought if I let her go too

easy I wouldn't be able to catch her," Quinonez said. "It worked out perfect.

When (Joe Talamo) asked her, she kind of opened up a length and a half at the

quarter pole but mine was really comfortable. Turning for home, when he switched

leads he was home. He runs well anywhere. Good horses can run dirt, grass or

anything."

"He's pretty versatile," Dollase said. "He's run great on both surfaces, but

turf is probably what he likes most. He's an incredible horse. They really came

home fast. He's the real deal.

"I'm so excited for Nick (Cafarchia)," Dollase added. "He bred this horse and

it's nice to win a stakes for him. The instructions were to sit off the filly

and pounce when we could."

Stoneside finished strongly to

catch Unzip Me by a nose for the runner-up spot. Scenic Blast got organized down

the lane and made up some ground, finishing one length behind Unzip Me.

"I thought she ran great considering she was running against boys for the

first time," trainer John Sadler said of Unzip Me. "It was a pretty tough race

on paper, but I thought she ran terrific. She got the lead and started relaxing

after that. The winner was pressing her the whole way, but she fought the whole

way and ran great. It's just that they ran so fast. That's pretty quick."

My Summer Slew was coming off a third-place effort in the June 5 Los Angeles

H. (G3) over the local Cushion Track. The five-year-old gelding had captured his

prior two attempts on turf, including a course-and-distance allowance/optional

claimer two starts back, and he is now three-for-four on the grass. He sports an

overall mark of 13-5-1-3, $196,292.

The California-bred is the second registered foal from the winning Slewpy

mare My Bouquet, and he hails from the family of Ribofilio (*Ribot), England's

champion juvenile colt of 1968.

"We'll sit down and figure out what to do next," Dollase said. "He's proven

he can run with some of the better horses. I hope we'll have some fun with him

at Del Mar."

Earlier on Sunday's card, Grade 1 star THE USUAL Q. T. (Unusual Heat) bounced

back from his Dubai trip to score comfortably in the

5TH

race. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite against four rivals in the allowance, the Jim

Cassidy trainee relaxed just off the pace, smoothly ranged up in the stretch,

and asserted his class by a half-length. Dakota Phone (Zavata) closed well to

bid for the upset, but the outcome wasn't seriously in doubt. The Usual Q. T.

reeled off the grassy mile in 1:34 2/5 under confident handling by Victor

Espinoza.

Owned by Don Van Racing, Michael Nentwig, George Saadeh and Jeffrey Byer, the

California-bred was visiting the winner's circle for the first time since the

December 26 Sir Beaufort S. (G3). That crowned a six-race winning streak, whose

highlights were the Hollywood Derby (G1), Oak Tree Derby (G2) and California Cup

Mile H. The Usual Q. T. switched to Pro-Ride for the January 30 Sunshine

Millions Classic, but he bled as the even-money favorite and trailed in a

disappointing last of nine. The four-year-old gelding turned in a far stronger

performance next time when fourth in the March 27 Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1).

With this comeback under his belt, The Usual Q. T. will bring a 14-7-4-0,

$813,320, record into his engagement in the July 24 Eddie Read S. (G1) at Del

Mar.