'Awesome Baby' Wins $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes At Santa Anita

 ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Awesome Baby led all the way in a half-length victory Saturday at Santa Anita in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Awesome Baby ran six furlongs in 1:16.62 and paid $12.60 and $4.40. There was no show wagering because of the four-horse field.

Taste Like Candy returned $2.80. Crushed Velvet, the 4-5 favorite, was third. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert trains both Awesome Baby and Crushed Velvet.

The victory, worth $120,000, increased Awesome Baby's career earnings to $170,250 with two wins in four starts.

"She ran dynamite," Smith said. "She broke really well, was well in hand until I needed to ask her and I just showed her the whip and she kept running."

In the $75,000 Midnight Lute Stakes, Smith rode Cyclometer to victory by three-quarters of a length. Trained, owned and bred by Bruce Headley, Cyclometer ran six furlongs in 1:08.95 and paid $5.20 and $2.60.

"It was a little eventful leaving the gate," Smith said. "A horse acted up and my horse rocked back a bit so we spotted everyone a jump at the start. I still got away in good order. Cyclometer was really on his game. In the stretch, I could only mess it up at that point. I just kept hand-riding him, and it was working."

Moonshine Bay returned $3.60. Anillo was another length back in third. There was no show wagering because of the four-horse field. Even-money favorite Midnight Transfer was fourth.

The victory, worth $59,700, increased Cyclometer's career earnings to $330,254, with five wins in 17 starts.

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