Sneaking Out’s Great Lady M. Stakes

© BENOIT PHOTO

Nish and her husband, Kevin, know the personalities of every one of their racehorses. Sneaking Out, whose Great Lady M. gave the Fairf eld, Calif., couple their f rst grade 2 victory as owner/breeders, has a brazen personality.

“One time when I told her she couldn’t have any more carrots, I got a very, very fast nip to express her displeasure,” said Kim. “She def nitely has a mind of her own, and she doesn’t like being told no.”

T at attitude has helped Sneaking Out develop into an excellent racehorse. Trained for most of her 11 starts and all f ve of her wins by Jerry Hollendorfer, she previously had beaten Cal-breds in the 2019 Evening Jewel Stakes and had run second in the 2019 Summertime Oaks (G2) and Fleet Treat Stakes. Earlier this year she won at Oaklawn Park.

“I want to be sure to recognize the job Jerry has done,” said Kevin. “He has gotten her over some little things.”

Hollendorfer had the 4-year-old bay f lly primed for the 6 1 ∕2-furlong Great Lady M. Sneaking Out needed to be at her best because the race drew Bellaf na, whose seven graded wins include the 2019 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and 2018 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) and Chandelier Stakes (G1).

When the gate opened, Sneaking Out tracked Artistic Diva’s early pace in second, jockey Martin Garcia placing the Nishes’ f lly perfectly.

“She was laying outside, and she got a little breather around the turn,” said Hollendorfer.

Unable to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Nishes watched from their

vacation home near Del Mar. Sneaking Out took the lead in the upper stretch, and at f rst Bellaf na, racing in third, didn’t seem to be catching her. T en Bellaf na began to close. “Bellaf na was right in there breathing down our neck,” said Kevin. “Our neighbors now are familiar with the phrase

Cal-bred Sneaking Out steals away to win Los Alamitos’ grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes for KMN racing ‘hurry, wire.’ We were maybe more than a little loud.”

Los Alamitos has a particularly long stretch, and it seemed to the Nishes as if it would never end. Sneaking Out, however, had Bellaf na

BRAZEN ATTITUDE

SNEAKING OUT ELUDES BELLAFINA IN GREAT LADY M.

BY TRACY GANTZ

“T hat one is my attitude mare,” said Kim Nish about California-bred Sneaking Out, winner of the $201,000 Great Lady M. Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos July 4.

measured, and she won by three-quarters of a length in 1:14.62, only .14 of Eclipse Award winner Finest City’s track record.

Kevin noted that in the gallop-out, Sneaking Out never did let Bellaf na past her and only reluctantly heeded Garcia’s instructions to pull up.

T e Nishes have enjoyed watching Sneaking Out since she was foaled at Ellen Jackson’s Victory Rose T oroughbreds near Vacaville. T ey had bought into her sire, Indian Evening, who stood at Victory Rose until his untimely death at age 8 in 2017. With the help of bloodstock agents Alex Solis II and Jason Litt, they purchased her dam, the Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey in foal to Drosselmeyer for $14,500 at the 2012 Keeneland November sale.

Maddie’s Odyssey has been a gem for the Nishes. In addition to Sneaking Out, the mare has produced multiple stakes winners Grecian Fire (by Unusual Heat) and Been Studying Her (by Fast Anna). Maddie’s Odyssey has a 2-year-old full sister to Sneaking Out named Starlight Stroll, a yearling colt by Straight Fire, and a suckling f lly by Tapit. She has been bred back to Constitution.