Stark Contrast, Brave Deb capture Santa Anita juvenile turf stakes

Amerman Racing’s homebred Stark Contrast remained perfect on turf in Sunday’s $100,000 Zuma Beach (G3) at Santa Anita, and trainer Michael McCarthy is looking toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Coming off a maiden win on the switch to turf at Del Mar, Stark Contrast was dispatched as the 3.60-1 third choice in this stakes debut. Bettors preferred a pair of rivals exiting solid efforts in defeat in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3), the 1.30-1 Caro Buono and the 8-5 Proletariat, but they didn’t improve here.

The rail-drawn Stark Contrast was eased back into fourth by regular rider Kazushi Kimura, who steered him into a good outside stalking spot. Longshot Won for Lou won the early pace scrum to set fractions of :22.26, :46.20, and 1:11.47, only to be brushed aside by that point by Proletariat.

Stark Contrast took off after Proletariat down the lane and prevailed by a length. Finishing the firm-turf mile in 1:34.77, he paid $9.20.

Third Beer rallied stoutly from last for second, a neck up on Proletariat. There was a four-length gap back to Caro Buono, and Won for Lou trailed. Charlie’s Curlin and Medici were both vet scratches.

Stark Contrast sports a mark of 3-2-0-0, $112,800. The well-named son of Caravaggio and the Grade 2-placed Quality Road mare Catch the Eye was fourth in his unveiling on the Del Mar dirt. The winner of that maiden was Buetane, the next-out runner-up in the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga.

“He kind of tipped his hand a little bit to us this summer at Del Mar,” McCarthy said.

Indeed, Kimura predicted that Stark Contrast would win a stakes before he made his career debut.

“He worked just well enough to warrant a start on the dirt,” McCarthy said, “and he got a lot out of it. Obviously towards the end of the meet there, we were lucky enough to run him a mile on the turf, and he was very good that day. He has been training forwardly since then. 

“Obviously in a small field, a lot of things can go wrong – a little tactical today. I think Kazushi rode a great race and had him in a great spot. The horse leveled off nicely for him down the lane.

“I’d like to go to the Breeders’ Cup, hopefully he stays healthy. Congratulations to the Amermans – they are not here today, but it would be nice to get back to the Breeders’ Cup for them.”

In the companion stakes for fillies, the $101,500 Surfer Girl (G3), unbeaten Brave Deb topped a banner weekend for owner/breeder Spendthrift Farm. On the heels of Ned Toffey’s outstanding victory in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Tommy Jo’s elevation in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland, and Tamara’s brilliant return in the Chillingworth (G3) here, Brave Deb stated her own case to join the Breeders’ Cup party.

Tamara’s stablemate from the Richard Mandella barn, Brave Deb was overlooked as a 10.90-1 chance on the class hike. The daughter of 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1) champion and Horse of the Year Authentic just barely held on in her premiere on the Del Mar turf. But having a quicker rival to chase on Sunday, rather than winging it in front herself, made the difference for Brave Deb. 

As even-money favorite Will Happen scampered forward through splits of :22.26, :45.76, and 1:11.17, Brave Deb monitored in second. Will Happen, who was trying to stretch out from a sprint, gave way at the top of the stretch, and Brave Deb picked up the baton. Saratoga shipper Scratch It closed late, but the winner was gone. 

Under a returning Mirco Demuro, Brave Deb maintained a one-length margin at the wire in 1:35.40. The dark bay rewarded her backers with $23.80. 

“She’s a nervous filly,” Demuro observed. “First time (out), I took her to the front, and she got a little excited. Even in the morning-time, she gets a little excited. I didn’t want her to get too nervous and take her out of the race. 

“So this time, I let somebody take the lead, and I kept close to him. She is a little bit funny; you can see when she was coming back, she was looking around at everything. 

“She doesn’t really like to be in front. But she has a lot of speed and a lot of ability. It was perfect. The other one came close to me in the stretch and helped me keep going. She doesn’t want to lose.”

Most of the rest were alumnae of the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, and the form of that race was scrambled in the Surfer Girl. Pentle Bay and Yours Sincerely finished third and fourth, respectively, here, turning the tables on the filly who’d surprised in the Del Mar stakes – Dreaming of Alys, who wound up fifth behind them on Sunday. South Bay, Soaring Angel, and Will Happen concluded the order of finish.

Now 2-for-2, Brave Deb has bankrolled $108,000. She is the second graded winner produced by the Street Sense mare Nora’s Joy, who is also responsible for reigning Wilshire (G3) heroine Tirupati.