Fantastic Style just misses track record in Great Lady M (G2)

Fantastic Style rolled to a 3 ½-length victory in the $200,000 Great Lady M S. (G2) Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course, completing the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares in 1:14.78, just 0.18 seconds off the track record.

Making just her second start in a graded stakes for owner Kaleem Shah and trainer Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old filly came from third with about a quarter mile to run, assuming command in upper stretch and drawing off for a decisive win under Rafael Bejarano. 

“My filly has speed, but I didn’t want to give her too much to do early,” Bejarano said. “When I saw (Amaranth and Sunday Rules) dueling up front, I just let her settle and she gave me a real nice finish.”

Baffert has won three of the past five editions of the Great Lady M, twice at Hollywood Park in 2013 with Book Review and 2011 with Irish Gypsy, when it was known as the A Gleam Handicap and contested at seven furlongs.

Donato Lanni, agent, purchased Fantastic Style for $525,000 at the 2014 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Winner of the Angel Flight S. at Santa Anita Park and third in the Beaumont S. (G2) at Keeneland in her two previous outings, Fantastic Style is 4-1-1 in six starts overall, earning $272,000.