Fiftyshadesofhay easily in the G2 Santa Ysabel

Fiftyshadesofhay, a 3-year-old A.P. Indy filly out of the grade 1-placed mare Quiet Kim, romped to a 5 3/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 2 Santa Ysabel S. to give Eisaman training grads their second black type winner of the day, along with Itsmyluckyday's upset victory in the Grade 3 Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park.

With Santa Anita's wet-fast track favoring speed early on the card, Rafael Bejarano hustled Fiftyshadesofhay out of the gate to keep the pressure on pacesetter Escape Act. The duo were right together after a half-mile in :46.26. The eventual winner began to inch away going into the second turn, and once she hit the stretch, she continued on, widening all the way to the wire. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.89.

“I had to move a little early today. The pace was fast but the way the track played today was really fast,” said Bejarano. “I was really comfortable with my horse, and when I saw the other horse (Escape Act) was done at the three-eighths pole I let my horse go and open up three or four lengths in the stretch because I knew they weren’t going to catch me.”

In six starts, Fiftyshadesofhay has amassed $106,490 in earnings; the Santa Ysabel was her first graded stakes start. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, she is owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman.