Scarlet Strike scores in Providencia

John Carver, Jerry Hollendorfer and Green Smith's Scarlet Strike overhauled

pacesetter Birdlover in deep stretch and edged away to a half-length victory in

Saturday's Grade 3, $151,250 Providencia at Santa Anita. Rafael Bejarano was up

on the 2-1 favorite, who completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:47 2/5 on the firm turf.

After placing in six straight stakes events, including a third in the Grade 1

Las Virgenes on dirt most recently, Scarlet Strike recorded her first stakes

victory Saturday, improving her mark to 10-2-3-5. The three-year-old filly has

earned $332,340 so far.

Birdlover seized the initiative at the start and established a comfortable

pace in :23 4/5, :47 3/5 and 1:12. Scarlet Strike, a confirmed late runner, was

rating near the back during the early stages and rallied wide into contention on

the far turn.

"I had to move a little early because the position I was in was going to make

it a little hard to win," Bejarano said. "At the three-eighths pole I found my

position right behind the leader so I just followed her and kept on running. I

still had a lot of horse, and I knew I did, so that's why I moved a little early

to find a better position."

Birdlover reached the eighth pole in 1:35 4/5 with a half-length advantage,

but Scarlet Strike had all the momentum on the outside and was able to easily

get past late, drawing off under the finish line.

"A terrific race for this filly," trainer Hollendorfer said. "I'm very proud

of her. Rafael has a real knack for being in the right place at the right time

and I think that's the reason why he's doing so well. You couldn't get a better

ride than that."

Scarlet Strike paid $6, $3.80 and $2.80. Birdlover, the 4-1 second choice in

the 10-horse field, was 2 1/4 lengths clear of third-placer Sweet Red Cat.

Flashy Ways came next in fourth and was followed by Sarach, Kyriaki, Magnificent

Shirl, Akiss Forarose, Wittgenstein and Sultry Season.

Scarlet Strike needed three starts before breaking her maiden at Del Mar last

September. Her other stakes placings came in the Chandelier, Hollywood Starlet,

Santa Ysabel, Blue Norther and Sharp Cat.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, Scarlet Strike

RNA'ed for $70,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September Yearling Sale before being

purchased for $220,000 at last year's OBS March Two-Year-Old Sale. The Smart

Strike filly is out of the stakes-placed Scarlet Tango, making her a half-sister

to Grade 1 winner Visionaire. Merengue and Point Determined are also graded

stakes winners in the immediate female family.

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