I’m So Anna Hangs Tough To Capture Fleet Treat

DEL MAR, CA – KMN Racing’s I’m So Anna fought off a determined rival in Red Baron’s Barn or Vaya Con Suerte’s Teddy’s Barino and drew clear late to tally by 1 length in the 36th edition of the Fleet Treat Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred fillies Friday at Del Mar.

The homebred daughter of the late stallion Fast Anna was hooked by Teddy’s Barino right from the git-go and was still fighting her off at the 1/16 pole, but the winner had a bit extra in the tank and got home to give rider Kyle Frey his first stakes win at Del Mar.

“She had a pretty good battle down the lane (with Teddy’s Barino), but I wasn’t so much worried about the horse inside me, I was concerned about ones coming from the back,” the Northern California-based Frey said after his first Del Mar stakes win. “That’s a bad way to lose a race.”

Teddy’s Barino finished second, a 1/2-length in front of the race favorite, Harris Farms’ Closing Remarks. Final time for the 7-furlong test was 1:24.34.

I’m So Anna is trained by Steve Sherman, who races primarily in Northern California and had his father Art – famous for his handling of 2-time Horse of the Year California Chrome – deputized for him today to saddle his dark bay or brown filly.

“She’s just a hard-trying filly,” Art said. “She’s won a couple of stakes (at Golden Gate Fields). We always loved her and we’ve had her down here before. She can run on the grass or the dirt. I’m looking at the replay and she was hooked all the way but showed her heart. She wants to beat you. I love her. The owner breeds some nice horses and Steve was lucky enough to get this filly as a 2-year-old. This stake has been on the radar for a while. You got a Cal-bred that can run, it’s nice.”

The winner earned $99,750 from a gross purse of $176,000 and pushed her career earnings to $289,740 with her fourth win in her 12th start.

I’m So Anna returned $13.40, $6.20 and $4.40 across the board. Teddy’s Barino paid $5.60 and $4.20, while Closing Remarks paid $3.60 to show. The winner’s sire, a son of the top stallion Medaglia d’Oro, had had two productive season in Kentucky, but succumbed to laminitis earlier this year.