Big Sweep Back On Top In Fleet Treat

DEL MAR, CA – Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal’s Big Sweep cut back to sprinting with tremendous success, getting back on top with a score in Friday’s $125,000 Fleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar.

Breaking well from the far outside post 5 under Flavien Prat as the 6/5 favorite, Big Sweep closely tracked early leader Loud Loud Music through opening fractions of :22.83 and :46.63.

Inching forward in the far turn, Big Sweep turned for home in command and kicked away in the stretch. Been Studying Her tried rallying from last of four, but the bettors’ choice ran untouched through to the wire.

The Mark Glatt trainee crossed 2 1/4 lengths the best in a final time of 1:24.44 for the 7-furlong fast dirt sprint restricted to California-bred 3-year-old fillies.

“It was a good race for us,” Prat said. “She broke well and traveled well all the way around. She was relaxed in the early part, then at the 1/2-mile (pole), she began to pick it up. I hit her with the whip one time, but that was it. She gave me a good kick.”

Smiling Shirlee made a momentary three-wide bid near the top of the stretch but failed to sustain her move and faded to third. Loud Loud Music gave way once headed and was the last to cross the finish line.

Warren’s Showtime scratched, with her connections opting to enter Saturday’s San Clemente Stakes (G2), a 1 1/16-mile local turf route open to all 3-year-old fillies.

Big Sweep’s win was her third from as many career sprint starts, having followed her debut victory by beating state-bred boys in the Echo Eddie Stakes. The Mr. Big filly has now earned $212,250 to go with a record of 4-3-0-1, with the lone defeat coming when she tried routing in the Melair Stakes last time out.

“The cutback in distance certainly helped today, but this filly will go long, she’ll get a distance,” Glatt said. “She might run long on the dirt, but if it turns out that she’s just a really good sprinter, so be it. But we’re pretty anxious to get her on the grass. Flavien thinks the dirt seems to get away from her a little bit, and with a little more sure footing on the turf, she might be even better.”

Big Sweep returned $4.60 to win and $3 to place, while Been Studying Her paid $3.20 to place. There was no show betting.