Making his stakes debut for trainer Michael McCarthy, Stark Contrast took the lead in deep in the stretch and scored by a length in the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T) going a mile Oct. 5 at Santa Anita Park.
Jockey Kazushi Kimura apparently is not only a top jockey but a prime prognosticator. Prior to Stark Contrast's debut this summer at Del Mar, he made a prediction to McCarthy.
"I told McCarthy he's going to win a stakes. For sure," Kimura said.
That prediction became a proclamation Sunday when Stark Contrast rallied from off the pace to collar Proletariat, who would finish third, inside the sixteenth pole, and then hold off the late charge of Third Beer.
Stark Contrast is a homebred for Amerman Racing. By Caravaggio, Stark Contrast made little impact when debuting at six furlongs on dirt Aug. 3 at Del Mar. But a month later, he was stretched out to a mile on turf and promptly graduated with Kimura aboard.
"He kind of tipped his hand a little bit to us this summer at Del Mar," McCarthy said. "He worked just well enough to warrant a start on the dirt and he got a lot out of it. Obviously towards the end of the meet there, we were lucky enough to run him a mile on the turf, and he was very good that day. He has been training forwardly since then."
Stark Contrast won in a time of 1:34.77 following fractions of :22.26, :46.20 and 1:11.47. He paid $9.20 to win.
Next up for Stark Contrast is a likely start in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) on Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
"I'd like to go to the Breeders' Cup, hopefully he stays healthy," McCarthy said. "Congratulations to the Amermans. They are not here today, but it would be nice to get back to the Breeders' Cup for them."
Video: Zuma Beach S. (G3T)
Brave Deb Shows New Dimension in Surfer Girl
After going gate-to-wire in a debut win last month at Del Mar over a mile on turf, Spendthrift Farm homebred Brave Deb displayed a new dimension Sunday at Santa Anita when winning the $101,500 Surfer Girl Stakes (G3T) for 2-year-old fillies, also at one mile on turf.
With Mirco Demuro aboard, Brave Deb was part of a three-horse scramble for the early lead with even-money favorite Will Happen. Will Happen, who was stretching out after a debut win sprinting, ultimately seized the lead with Demuro and Brave Deb tracking in second.
"First time (out) I took her to the front, and she got a little excited...she doesn't really like to be in front," Demuro explained from the winner's circle.
Will Happen set sharp opening fractions of :22.26 and :45.76. After six furlongs in 1:11.17, Brave Deb took over the lead entering the stretch. She then successfully held off a late challenge from eastern invader Scratch It to score by one length over that rival. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Pentle Bay.
Trained by Richard Mandella, Brave Deb won in a time of 1:35.40 and paid $23.80 to win. She is by Authentic out of the Street Sense mare Nora's Joy.
For Dimuro, a 46-year-old Italian, this was his first graded stakes win in North America and first stakes win of any kind at Santa Anita.
