Las Virgenes

Sharp Lisa (inside) gutted out the win in the Las Virgenes (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

J. Paul Reddam, Suarez Racing Inc. & Mark Schlesinger’s SHARP LISA (Dixieland
Band) patiently stalked the early pace in Saturday’s $250,000
Las Virgenes S.
(G1) at Santa Anita, but found some company to her outside when finally putting
in her run down the stretch. With Memorette (Memo [Chi]) sticking her neck in
front in the final yards, Sharp Lisa had to dig down to gut out a
three-quarter-of-a-length victory in the mile test under jockey Corey Nakatani.

“She’s got nothing but heart,” Nakatani said. “I wasn’t worried (when
Memorette took the lead). I hadn’t gotten to my filly yet.”

Charming Colleen (Charismatic) took the early lead and carved out fractions
of :22 3/5, :46 1/5 and 1:10 4/5 while followed by Sharp Lisa and Memorette.
Rounding the turn, though, it was Sharp Lisa and Memorette who quickly moved to
the fore. With the former racing along the inside, the pair ran down the stretch
nip and tuck until Memorette started to gain a slight advantage. It looked like
the talented miss would pull off the slight upset at 7-2, but Sharp Lisa had a
reply for her challenger and accelerated, slowly pulling to the fore and
stopping the clock on the wet-fast track in 1:35 3/5.

Sharp Lisa paid out $3.20, $2.40 and $2.10 as the 3-5 favorite, and keyed the
$4.20 exacta ($1) and $24.50 trifecta ($1) (5-6-2). Memorette gave back $2.80
and $2.20, and it was another six lengths back to Charming Colleen, who returned
$2.20 at 16-1. Next under the line came Hot Attraction (Pulpit) and On London
Time (Gilded Time). Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet) was scratched.