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Golden State Series Fleet Treat Stakes
© BENOIT PHOTOS
A treat for the eyes, the lovely I’m So Anna wins Del Mar’s Fleet Treat Stakes for KMN Racing
SO VERSATILE
I’M SO ANNA’S FAST FEET WIN FLEET TREAT
BY EMILY SHIELDS
Stakes win on synthetic? Check. Turf? Check. And dirt? Also check.
I’m So Anna has now accomplished all three, a considerable feat. Te daughter of Fast Anna—So So Fast, by Jet West, took the $176,000 Fleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar July 23, outrunning a good group of California-bred or California-sired sophomore fllies. With four wins on three surfaces from fve furlongs to a mile, I’m So Anna has become a whirlwind force on the California circuit.
A homebred for Kevin and Kim Nish’s KMN Racing, I’m So Anna was the fourth choice in a feld of eight in the Fleet Treat. Te dark bay flly sat just of the early pace set by Teddy’s Barino, then took over at the half-mile marker and challenged the feld to come after her. I’m So Anna drew away to score by a length under Kyle Frey, stopping the clock in 1:24.34 for seven furlongs. Teddy’s Barino held for second while favored Closing Remarks was third and Fi Fi Pharoah fourth.
Of all of I’m So Anna’s wins, this one vaulted to the top for her owners.
“No disrespect to our home town and Golden Gate,” Kevin Nish said, “but Del Mar is a diferent caliber of competition. Tere were some pretty capable horses in that race, and Fi Fi Pharoah had beaten us before.”
Fi Fi Pharoah was coming of a win in the $151,000 Melair Stakes at Santa Anita June 19, where the Steve Sherman-trained I’m So Anna fnished third. Fi Fi Pharoah also fnished second in the $152,000 Evening Jewel Stakes as a maiden in April, with I’m So Anna again third. But in the Fleet Treat, the roles were reversed.
Kim added, “We are just thrilled to pieces with Kyle’s ride. In his last two rides you can see when a jockey and a horse pair up perfectly, and he just gets that horse.”
I’m So Anna’s win was far from a shock. She was stakes-placed at Del Mar as a juvenile after breaking her maiden at Los Alamitos, then won the $75,900 Pike Place Dancer at Golden Gate. She rebounded from her Evening Jewel loss by taking the $76,350 Campanile Stakes. After the Fleet Treat victory, I’m So Anna’s record stood at four wins, two seconds, and three thirds in 12 starts for earnings of $289,740.
Te Nishes bought I’m So Anna’s dam So So Fast for her pedigree.
“She’s part of the Tizakitty family,” Kevin explained.
Tizakitty, a direct female descendant of the Cee’s Song line of Tiznow and Budroyale fame, is also the dam of Western Kitty, whose son What in Blazes broke his maiden at Del Mar on July 17. KMN bred and owns What in Blazes, a colt from the frst crop of Straight Fire.
When they got involved with the stallion Fast Anna (now deceased), he seemed a slam dunk for So So Fast. Already for KMN Racing, Fast Anna had sired Been Studying Her, a multiple stakes winner who is now in foal to Improbable in Kentucky. Te two fllies are Fast Anna’s leading progeny.
“I’m So Anna is more accomplished than Been Studying Her now,” Kim said.
Te problem with I’m So Anna now is that the sky is the limit.
“We’ve run out of 3-year-old races for Cal-breds,” Kevin said. “We’re leaning towards staying with 3-year-olds—such as the grade 3 Torrey Pines at Del Mar— rather than facing older Cal-breds. As long as she trains forward and is feeling good, we’ll keep going.”
CTBA’s Doug Burge presents the Fleet Treat trophy to Kim and Kevin Nish on either side of jockey Kyle Frey
