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Straight Faced guts out win during Juvenile Showcase

Straight Faced moved his record to a perfect four-for-four on Saturday (Jim Lisa Photos) Walter R. Donnelly LLC's STRAIGHT FACED (Straight Man) entered Saturday's $150,000 Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion S. carrying an unbeaten three-for-three record. The Stephen DiMauro trainee exited the seven-furlong test with his perfect status intact and an extra $90,000 added to his earnings, bringing that number to $212,800. Unlike his previous starts, where he dominated his maiden debut, the Birdonthewire S. and the Dr. Fager division of the Florida Stallion S., this one didn't turn into an easy win for the bay. Settled into second by Manoel Cruz, Straight Faced pressed the pacesetter through splits of :22 2/5, :45 4/5 and 1:11 4/5 before beginning his run. Working hard to subdue a persistent Villainage (Trippi), the game colt managed to get up by a half-length at the wire while posting a final time of 1:26 on the sloppy, sealed track. "This is the first time he's had to work a little bit to win," Cruz said. "Late in the race, those other horses were trying to run him down but he dug in like he wasn't going to be denied. Not only is he physically talented, but he showed me today that he has the determination to go with it." Straight Faced was the heavy 2-5 favorite against his seven rivals here and paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10 for the win. Villainage was game in defeat, returning $3.20 and $2.60 at 5-1 for holding Green Vegas (Trippi), who was worth $2.80 at 11-1, to third by a half-length. The exotics were worth $7.60 (exacta), $36.80 (trifecta) and $127.60 (2-1-8-4 superfecta).

"He's had foot problems we've had to deal with and had to change his shoes," DiMauro explained. "It was touch and go for a while whether we were going to make this race at all, or pass and wait for the next one. Now we have six weeks to the ($400,000 In Reality division of the Florida Stallion S. on October 14), which gives a little more time to work with the foot, but he can't miss too much training."

In the $150,000 Susan's Girl division of the Florida Stallion S., Centaur Farms Inc.'s ADHRHYTHM (Adhocracy), who just broke her maiden last out, scored an easy 8 1/2-length victory with Cruz aboard. The Edward Plesa Jr.-trained bay miss tracked the early pace before moving up on the outside to challenge exiting the turn. Grabbing the lead, she powered home an easy winner, finishing seven furlongs in 1:26 3/5 in her stakes debut.

Adhrhythm ran second in her first two career starts before taking her maiden by 6 3/4 lengths last out. She was the 2-1 second choice in this field, returning $6, $4 and $2.80 while keying exotics of $54.40 (exacta), $165.40 (trifecta) and $879.60 (8-1-6-7 superfecta). Silkily (Line in the Sand) was second by a neck in the Desert Vixen, the first division of the Florida Stallion S., prior to this one and filled that same spot here to pay $8.80 and $4.40 at 13-1. Snow Lady (Snow Ridge), who is Adhrhythm's stablemate, captured the Desert Vixen, but could do no better than third to give back $3.80 at 5-1.

Plesa said that Adhrhythm would go on to the rich $400,000 My Dear Girl division of the Florida Stallion S. next.

Mr. T Stables' YESSHECANDANCE (Yes It's True) grabbed the lead out of the gate and led all the way home in the $50,000 Catcharisingstar S. for trainer Jose Pinchin. With Elvis Trujillo aboard, the bay miss was 6 3/4 lengths clear at the wire and finished the five-furlong test, which was moved off the turf and to the sloppy, sealed main track, in :59 4/5. Second in the Cassidy S. in July, Yesshecandance now boasts a 4-2-1-0 career mark with $86,800 in lifetime earnings.

Two races later, Trilogy Stables' YESBYJIMMINY (Yes It's True) moved his record to a perfect three-for-three while making his stakes debut in the $50,000 Turf Dash S. The Plesa trainee posted a half-length score in the five-furlong, off-the-turf event under Abel Castellano Jr., setting a final time of :59 3/5. Yesbyjimminy broke his maiden by 1 1/4 lengths before taking an allowance prior to this one by 3 3/4 lengths, and has now earned $77,600. Plesa mentioned that the $150,000 Foolish Pleasure Breeders' Cup S. on September 23 would be next on his charge's calendar.

Mojallali Stables' NASEEM (Point Given) ran in last for much of the $50,000 Lindsay Frolic S. after being forced to steady on the first turn, began her rally around the final turn and just managed to get up in late stretch to earn the three-quarters of a length victory while making her career debut. Trained by Delmar Martins and ridden by Cecilio Penalba, the bay filly completed a mile in 1:43 1/5 and got her record started with the $24,000 winner's share.

Joyce and Gene Frazee's CAT TOUR (Tour d'Or) was a gate-to-wire winner of the $50,000 Seacliff S., giving Trujillo a second stakes win on the day. The Dave Braddy-trained colt dominated throughout the mile test, finishing 10 1/2 lengths in front of his nearest rival while stopping the clock in 1:41. Breaking his maiden last out by three lengths, the dark bay pushed his record to 3-2-1-0 with $45,400 in earnings.

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