Pretty N Cool comes back strong in Las Flores S. (G3)

A six-month layoff and mid-race downpour couldn’t stop Pretty N Cool from capturing Sunday’s $100,000 Las Flores S. (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Pretty N Cool, 4, who won the Sorrento S. (G2) and Matron S. (G2) as a 2-year-old, was given some time away from the races by her trainer Bob Baffert after going off form last summer at Del Mar. 

The Las Flores ran with just five distaffers, but was full of top-class runners. Pretty N Cool was sharp out of the gate, battling with Sensitively for the lead early on. The rain really started to come down when the field hit the turn, when Pretty N Cool began to pull clear. Coming into the stretch, she spurted away from the field, ultimately beating Grade 1 winner Constellation by 1 3/4-lengths in 1:10.49 for the six furlongs

“If you look at her work pattern, she was ready to run today and  Bobby [Baffert] is pretty good off the layoff,” co-owner Mike Pegram said. “She looked pretty good today. With this rain, this one was for the love of the game!”

“She was ready today and I think this is her best distance, six furlongs,” added jockey Martin Garcia said. “She has a lot of natural speed. She likes to run with time in between races and does well when she gets it. It was a tough race today but she was pretty impressive. She came back strong.”

Pretty N Cool, who Pegram owns with Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, is now 5-1-1 in 11 starts and has earned $498,905.