Sweeter Still is one game Senorita

The Jeff Mullins-trained SWEETER STILL (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) was

all out to prevail by a whisker from a rallying Magical Fantasy (Diesis [GB]) in

Saturday's $109,800

Senorita

S. (G3), but despite the verdict of the camera, her victory was still not

assured. The inquiry sign was posted as the Hollywood Park stewards reviewed the

stretch run, during which both fillies had drifted out. After a thorough review,

the result was allowed to stand, and Sweeter Still kept her hard-fought prize.

The victory was all the sweeter considering that she lost a heartbreaking

photo-finish to Missit (Ire) (Orpen) last time out in the Providencia S. (G2).

Early on, Sweeter Still was perfectly positioned in third by Martin Garcia,

content to watch the developments unfolding up front. Lovely Isle (Double Honor)

had shot to the lead right out of the gate, but she was rapidly overtaken by

Dawn Before Dawn (High Yield), who tore away by herself through fractions of :22

3/5, :46 1/5 and 1:10 4/5. Sweeter Still cruised up to challenge on the far turn

and rolled to a clear lead at the top of the stretch, only to be confronted by

Magical Fantasy inside the final furlong. Although the big chestnut threatened

to pass her, the tiny Sweeter Still stuck her head out and refused to relinquish

the advantage, which was whittled down to a nose at the wire. The 3-2 favorite,

who reeled off the firm-turf mile in 1:35 3/5, gave back $5, $3.40 and $2.60.

Magical Fantasy just missed in her American, stakes and sophomore debut.

Ignored in the market at 13-1, the runner-up returned $11.20 and $5.60. It was

another 1 3/4 lengths back to Bel Air Sizzle (Unusual Heat), who got up for

third by a neck to pay $4.20 at 7-1. Divine Legacy (Full Mandate), the longest

shot on the board at almost 30-1, checked in fourth. The $1 exotics were worth

$24.20 (exacta), $120.30 (trifecta) and $1,098.60 (6-8-4-10 superfecta). Lovely

Isle, Gorgeous Goose (Mongoose), Dawn Before Dawn and P. S. U. Grad (Harlan's

Holiday) rounded out the order of finish. Harmony Creator (Yankee Gentleman),

Fire n' Brimstone (Pulpit) and Decorator (Storm Cat) were withdrawn.

Campaigned by David J. Lanzman Racing Stable and Jason Wood, Sweeter Still

improved her record to 6-3-1-0, $185,573. The dark bay began her career with

Aidan O'Brien in Ireland, where she finished a respectable fourth in the Flame

of Tara S. in her only start overseas. She broke her maiden in her second outing for

Mullins, then followed up with a score in the China Doll S. before her narrow

loss in the Providencia.

Sweeter Still was bred in Ireland by Ann Marie O'Brien. Her dam, the Belmez

mare Beltisaal, has also produced Irish Group 3 queen Belle Artiste (Namid) and

an unraced juvenile full brother to the winner named Gimli's Rock. This is the

family of Grade 1 star Danish (Ire) (Danehill), Group 3 king and multiple

Grade/Group 1-placed Ace (Ire) (Danehill) and the remarkable Alderbrook (Ardross),

a French Group 2 hero on the flat and the winner of the Champion Hurdle at

Cheltenham.