ARCADIA, CA – Ben and Sally Warren homebred Warren’s Showtime rallied hard in the stretch to give trainer Craig Lewis career win 1,000 in Saturday’s $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
Sent from post 5 as the 3/5 heavy favorite under Flavien Prat, Warren’s Showtime settled near the rear of the field of 3-year-old fillies as they passed under the wire for the first time.
Quiet Secretary, the 18/1 longest shot, ran off to a lengthy early lead and posted opening fractions of :22.50, :45.42, and 1:09.69 while Nasty gave closest chase.
Nasty took command midway through the far turn and straightened for home on the lead, but Warren’s Showtime – tipped out four-wide at the top of the stretch – surged to the lead inside the 1/16 pole.
Warren’s Showtime outkicked Going to Vegas (sandwiched between the winner and Nasty) to win by a neck while completing the firm turf mile event in 1:33.77.
“She’s been moving really well,” Prat said I’ve been on her in the morning and I was pretty pleased with the way she was going. She’s always running in great races. She definitely deserved a graded stakes. She definitely gives you everything. I thought it was a pretty strong pace upfront so I was taking my time and when I asked her to go she responded well.”
Going to Vegas outkicked Nasty by a 1/2-length for second.
Guitty, Croughavouke, Quiet Secretary, and Mind Out completed the order of finish.
Warren’s Showtime improved her record to 13-6-0-5 with $520,251 earned, including 5 stakes scores that have come on dirt and turf in both routes and sprints. Along with Warren’s Showtime, Lewis also trained her sire, Clubhouse Ride, and her Grade 1-winning dam and fellow California-bred, Warren’s Veneda (another homebred campaigned by the Warrens).
“I’ve been very fortunate,” Lewis said. “I’ve had a lot of great horses in my career. … I’ve had multiple other good horses and a lot of great owners. I’m very thankful and feel very fortunate, very grateful to be in this situation.”
Warren’s Showtime returned $3.40 to win, $2.60 to place, and $2.20 to show. Going to Vegas brought back $8.40 to place and $3.80 to show, while Nasty paid $4.20 to show.