Uptown Twirl ($11.20) was timed in 1:09.36. She set fractions of 22.01 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 44.84 for a half-mile, leading by as much as 1 1/2 lengths. Moment Is Right, the winner of the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park last June, held second after briefly taking the lead, finishing 3 1/4 lengths in front of My Dynamo. Code Warrior was fourth, followed by Surfside Tiara, the 9-5 favorite.
Uptown Twirl races for Pete and Kosta Hronis and is trained by John Sadler. The filly was purchased for $630,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in March 2015. The Surfside Stakes was Uptown Twirl’s first start since a fifth-place finish in the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in February.
Sadler said he expected a positive race from Uptown Twirl, who has frequently raced near the front in her seven-race career. Uptown Twirl has earned $134,714.
“I told Tyler to get her out in front,” Sadler said. “She’ll fight when she gets out there.”
Sadler said that Uptown Twirl will be kept to sprints. He said the $75,000 Angels Flight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on May 15 is a possible goal.
