When breeder Peter Fuller was looking for someone to train Trip for A. J., one name came to mind. Trainer Milton Wolfson had claimed another Florida-bred filly out of the Explodent mare A. J.’s Hot Shot from Fuller for $25,000 at Calder in 2007. That mare, Annabill, has gone on to earn $694,320.
With Trip for A. J., Wolfson and Fuller are on the same team, and lately, the filly has been running as well as her older half-sister. Trip for A. J. earned her second consecutive stakes victory at Calder Casino & Race Course on Saturday, wiring the $65,000 Nancy’s Glitter Handicap by 3 ¼ lengths.
Trip for A. J., a daughter of Trippi, upset 1-5 favorite Sweet Repent in the Nancy’s Glitter Handicap to get her third win from six career starts. Sweet Repent, a 4-year-old, Florida-bred filly, was making her first start since winning the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park in January, stretching her winning streak to five races.
Trip for A. J. quickly assumed command in the Nancy’s Glitter, opening up a 1 ½-length lead while setting fractions of 24.91 seconds for a quarter of a mile and 49.09 seconds for a half-mile. Sweet Repent rallied three-wide to threaten the leader going around the far turn but tired thereafter. Trip for A. J. reached the top of the lane with a 2 ½-length advantage and widened her lead down the stretch, stopping the clock for 1 1/16 miles on a main track labeled “good” in 1:46.91.
Trip for A. J. paid $10, $7 and $2.80 as the second choice in a field of six fillies and mares. Florida-bred Even Road returned $10.60 and $2.80 after rallying to finish three lengths ahead of Sweet Repent, who paid $2.10 to show. Sweet Repent carried the high weight of 121 pounds, nine more than Trip for A. J.
“The only filly with early speed was the favorite, Sweet Repent, and Mr. Wolfson told me he didn’t think she would go to the lead since she’s been off for seven months,” said winning trainer Javier Santiago. “He had me put my filly on the lead, and we were able to slow it down pretty good, and that’s all it took.”
Trip for A. J. returned to dirt Saturday after two starts on turf. She earned her first stakes win in the $55,000 Noble Robyn Stakes at Calder on June 27. She crossed the wire a nose behind Florida-bred Regina Twain in that 1 1/16-mile turf race but was elevated to first place when the winner was disqualified for interference.
Prior to that race, Trip for A. J. made her turf debut in the $55,000 Sweettrickydancer Stakes at Calder, finishing third behind Florida-bred Musical Romance. Trip for A. J. has earned $101,120.
“I’m very happy for Mr. Fuller,” Wolfson said. “He sent us this filly to train because of what we did with her half-sister, Annabill. He’s still got the dam and has gotten a lot of breeders’ awards. This filly couldn’t have trained any better. The only question was if she would do well going back to dirt after her last two starts on turf. We’ll keep her here and look for a spot. (Sweet Repent) is a good horse, but she was giving us a lot of weight and coming off the long layoff.”
Sweet Repent, a daughter of Repent bred by Pembroke Pines’ Roger and Nikki Schick, has won seven of her 14 starts and earned $471,340 for owner Buongiorno A Tutti Stable and trainer David Braddy.
Even Road, a 6-year-old mare by Stephen Got Even, is a homebred for trainer Stanley Ersoff. She’s won seven of her 27 starts and earned $244,246.
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Jim Lisa Photo
