All Star filly is all Heart in Las Palmas

Last updated: 11/6/11 8:30 PM

All Star Heart earned her first graded score in the Las Palmas on Santa Anita’s closing day
(Benoit Photos)

by Jennifer Caldwell

Gerald L. Gibbs’ homebred All Star Heart lived up to her name on
Sunday when drawing off to a two-length victory in the Grade 2, $150,000

Las Palmas Stakes to close out Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet. With Brice
Blanc aboard, the Ron McAnally-trained four-year-old came running four
wide down the stretch to finish a mile on the good turf in 1:35 3/5.

“I had a beautiful trip,” Blanc said. “I just followed Malibu Pier
all the way around which was pretty much my strategy. My filly relaxed
really nice and did what I wanted her to do at the top of the lane and I
was able to out kick her. She has a tremendous finish. She’s a big
strong filly who can cover a lot of ground.”

All Star Heart paid $7.20, $3.60 and $2.80 as the 5-2 second choice
behind 7-5 favorite Malibu Pier. City to City saved ground early in the
rear of the pack before finding her way blocked in the lane. The
chestnut miss scooted between rivals and came running to take second,
three parts of a length in front of third-placer Sarah’s Secret.

Malibu Pier was another three-quarters of a length back in fourth, and Ash
Zee set the pace through fractions of :23 4/5, :48 3/5 and 1:12 2/5 before
fading to last. Anniversary Gift, Private Affair and Turning Top were all
withdrawn.

“It’s good for her to get that graded status on her resume,” McAnally
remarked. “I saw the one horse (City to City) go by her and I said, ‘Oh, hell.’
But then I knew we had plenty left when he (Brice Blanc) hadn’t even asked her
yet.

“We’ll just enjoy the moment and look at Hollywood and see what they have
there,” he replied when asked what could be next for All Star Heart.

The Arch bay filly earned her first black-type victory when taking the
Swingtime Stakes over course and distance on October 8. She made her stake bow a
fourth-place run, just a length back of winner City to City, in the Grade 2
Palomar Handicap prior to that one. All Star Heart has now captured four of her
last five races and owns an overall record of 15-5-1-1, $261,705.

The Ontario-bred miss is out of the winning Ascot Knight mare Gift of the
Heart.