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Five weeks removed from a maiden victory at Santa Anita, Hialeah Hottie repeated, defeating five other 2-year-old fillies in the $33,500 feature Friday, opening day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos.
The daughter of Sharp Azteca out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Melody Girl led throughout in her Nov. 5 win, but came from slightly off the pace to score Friday under jockey Edwin Maldonado.
Owned by Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje and trained by Leandro Mora, Hialeah Hottie was next-to-last early, but quickly ranged up outside pacesetter Modera before the turn, overhauled that one with a little more than a quarter of a mile to run and went on to win by 1 ¾ lengths over 7-2 shot Golden Again.
The 2-1 second choice, Hialeah Hottie paid $6.20, $4.20 and $3.40 while completing the six furlongs in 1:12.41. She’s now 2-for-4 with earnings of $42,600.
Golden Again, who defeated $50,000 California bred maidens Oct. 29, returned $3.80 and $2.40 while finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Modera. The show price on Modera was $3.60.
Completing the order of finish were 9-5 favorite The Reign Song, Smokin Amelia and Smokem for You.
Apprentice rider Armando Aguilar, who earned the initial win of his career aboard Sippin N Kissin on closing day of the September meet, had his first double Friday. Aguilar, 22, won the second with Irish Wahine and the sixth gate-to-wire aboard Frazzled.
Irish Wahine, who won for the second time in three starts at Los Alamitos, was the first of two victories for trainer Reed Saldana, who also captured the fifth with 8-1 shot Nolongerahobby.
Racing resumes Saturday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m.
The nine-race program is highlighted by the $300,000-guaranteed Starlet for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Starlet the last five years, entered Fast and Shiny, Doinitthehardway and Faiza, the 7-5 favorite on Ed Burgart’s morning line, in the Grade I. The field also includes Uncontrollable, Pride of the Nile, Classymademoiselle and Blessed Touch. Both Faiza and Uncontrollable were supplemented for $10,000.
The Starlet is the day’s final race. Scheduled post time is 4:30 p.m.
The Grade I is also the first half of a special daily double – a $1 minimum wager – that will also include the Grade I, $750,000 Champion of Champions, a 440-yard race for quarter horses that is the final race on the nighttime program.
