La Brea

Alphabet Kisses went from maiden to Grade 1 winner in 2004 (Benoit Photo)

Harris Farm’s Inc.’s homebred ALPHABET KISSES (Alphabet Soup) proved best in
Monday’s $250,000
La Brea S. (G1) at Santa Anita in a field which lacked
morning-line favorite Yearly Report (General Meeting), who was scratched
previously in the day. With the Delaware Oaks (G2) victress out of the scene,
Alphabet Kisses was able to press the early pace and call the seven-furlong race
her own.

Breaking alertly from the gate under jockey Mike Smith, the gray filly led the pack past the first quarter on the outside in :22 1/5
before surrendering that spot to Elusive Diva (Elusive Quality) as the pair
entered the turn. The latter filly stayed on the rail and was clocked at the next two
checkpoints in :44 2/5 and 1:08 3/5. She remained in the lead by only a
head until the stretch run, where Alphabet Kisses re-rallied to once again take
over the top position with Bending Strings (American Chance) in tow. That one was not able to make up any ground, however,
and Alphabet Kisses won by a length while stopping the clock in 1:21 1/5 on the fast
track.

“I know that (Elusive Diva) passed her going into the turn, but she was
still well within herself and it was just a matter of whether she was going to
hold off whoever was coming at the end, and she did,” Smith said.

Leaving the gate at 20-1, the winning sophomore miss returned $42.20, $12.80
and $6.20 to her backers, leading a $97.90 exacta ($1). The 8-5 favorite,
Bending Strings, gave back $3.60 and $2.80, while Elusive Diva paid $4.20 for
her efforts, rounding out the $516.40 trifecta ($1) at 5-1. Susan’s Angel
(Cape Town) finished the 12-9-3-7 superfecta ($1) which paid $3,174.