HOT SPRINGS - Did Street Story ever turn it around.
Rebounding from two dismal performances, Street Story beat odds-on favorite Jojo Warrior by a half-length to win the $100,000 Instant Racing Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park.
Street Story was the fourth winner on the card for jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. and trainer Steve Asmussen.
“It was nice to see her win a nice race on a good day,” Asmussen said.
Jojo Warrior finished 4¼ lengths ahead of Adrianne G, who was followed, in order, by Sweetmarys Success, Our Laughing Lady, Annunity and Midnight Eclipse.
Street Story paid $30.60, $8 and $3.60. Jojo Warrior paid $3 and $2.40. Adrianne G paid $3.
Street Story ran 6 furlongs over a fast track in 1:10.20.
Adrianne G whistled through a :21.40 opening quarter and a :44.69 half-mile.
But the taxing fractions took their toll in the stretch as Street Story powered to the lead approaching the wire after making a five-wide move turning for home.
Street Story won the $100,000 Dixie Belle on Jan. 10 -Oaklawn’s first stakes race this year for 3-year-old fillies - but fizzled in her next two starts.
Street Story ran 10th in her two-turn debut, the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes on Feb. 1, and was fifth as the favorite in a second-level allowance sprint March 16.
Street Story, who races for Whispering Oaks Farm LLC (Carrol Castille), increased her earnings to $161,210 following her third victory in seven starts.
Asmussen also won the Instant Racing in 2007 with Cream Only and in 2012 with Glinda the Good.
The Instant Racing was a meet-high ninth stakes victory Santana.
Six of his stakes victories came for Asmussen, who captured his third consecutive Oaklawn training title this year.
Sports, Pages 36 on 04/13/2014