San Luis Rey fillies sweep top six finishes

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

San Luis Rey Training Center fillies swept the first six finishes in the second race Jan. 2 at Santa Anita Park.

She's Bulletproof won the six-furlong turf race for 3-year-old California-bred fillies with no previous wins. Madiha finished second, 1 1/4 lengths behind She's Bulletproof and 1 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Exactly Wendy. The fourth-place horse, Youte, trailed Exactly Wendy by half a length at the finish line while finishing a head in front of fifth-place Increase Stakes, who was a neck in front of sixth-place Roubaix. Square Fun, who also trains at San Luis Rey, finished ninth and was 8 1/2 lengths behind She's Bulletproof and half a length behind eighth-place Copper Bo Ten.

Ruben Alvarado trains She's Bulletproof. "I'm happy with the race. I'm happy with the way John rode her," Alvarado said.

John Velazquez was She's Bulletproof's jockey. Mediha, who is trained by Walther Solis, was ridden by Kyle Frey. Doug O'Neill trains both Exactly Wendy and Square Fun; Mario Gutierrez was on Exactly Wendy and Diego Herrera rode Square Fun. Youte was underneath Juan Hernandez and is trained by Clifford Sise. Wayne Barnett was aboard Increase Stakes, who is trained by Edward Freeman. Roubaix is trained by Paula Capestro and had Juan Espinoza as her jockey.

The Jan. 2 race was the first start for She's Bulletproof, who had 10 timed workouts at San Luis Rey between Oct. 16 and Dec. 17. "I knew she can run," Alvarado said. "She's fast."

With no previous race history Alvarado and Velazquez gambled that She's Bulletproof should be allowed to relax and would make up ground at the end. She's Bulletproof also had the inside post position, so Velazquez needed to avoid being stuck behind the other entries.

Barnett and Increase Stakes broke first among the 10 entries. Exactly Wendy and Gutierrez comprised the third horse and jockey combination out of the gate. Espinoza and Roubaix left the gate fourth. Frey and Madiha broke sixth. Herrera and Square Fun were the seventh entry to leave the starting gate. Velazquez and She's Bulletproof broke eighth. Hernandez and Youte were ninth at the start of the race.

Roubaix held the lead after the first quarter of a mile, which took her 22.55 seconds. Increase Stakes was second, a head behind Roubaix and a length and a half in front of third-place Square Fun. Square Fun led Finger Tip by a head while Madiha was in fifth, two lengths behind Finger Tip. She's Bulletproof was 4 3/4 lengths behind Roubaix, a length in back of Mediha, and half a length ahead of seventh-place Copper Bo Ten. Exactly Wendy was in ninth, trailing Roubaix by 5 3/4 lengths and eighth-place She's a Bit Sassy by half a length while leading Youte by two lengths.

The order of the first six horses did not change over the next two furlongs. Roubaix completed the first half of a mile in 45.57 seconds and was a head in front of Increase Stakes, who had a two-length lead over Square Fun. Finger Tip trailed Square Fun by a head and led Madiha by half a length. She's Bulletproof was 3 3/4 lengths behind Roubaix and a length in back of Madiha. Youte had moved into seventh, a length and a half behind She's Bulletproof. Exactly Wendy was in the back, trailing Roubaix by seven lengths and ninth-place Copper Bo Ten by 1 1/2 lengths.

Velazquez began making up ground. "He made a move," Alvarado said.

Increase Stakes held the lead when she reached the beginning of the stretch 57.89 seconds after the race began. Roubaix was in second, a head behind Increase Stakes and a length in front of She's Bulletproof, who had moved into third. Madiha was fourth, a head behind She's Bulletproof and 1 1/2 lengths in front of Square Fun, who was in fifth. Exactly Wendy was in seventh, 4 1/4 lengths in back of Increase Stakes and 1 1/2 lengths behind sixth-place Finger Tip. Youte was in eighth and a head behind Exactly Wendy.

She's Bulletproof had a winning time of 1:10.25. "A good ride. I'm happy for her," Alvarado said. "She was working good."

She's Bulletproof was foaled in California Jan. 21, 2019. She was sired by Idiot Proof out of Onefunsonofagun.

The total purse for the race was $67,000. The first-place share was $40,200.

"I'm happy with the way everything came out," Alvarado said.

That includes the fitness of She's Bulletproof. "She came out of that race good," Alvarado said.

The victory makes She's Bulletproof no longer eligible for maiden races, so an allowance race will likely be next for her. "We've got a couple of options for the next race," Alvarado said.you

That includes a race on Santa Anita's dirt course. "I think she can go to the main track," Alvarado said.