Fashionably Fast in right post

Fashionably Fast won his sixth consecutive race in the 2020 Tiznow Stakes for California-bred milers at Santa Anita last March. The one-year anniversary of that race is Monday, a day after Fashionably Fast is entered against four rivals in the $100,000 Tiznow.

This year, there is no winning streak to preserve.

Fashionably Fast has been beaten in his last three starts, but a third-place finish in the California Cup Sprint at six furlongs on Jan. 19, another race the gelding won in 2020, was considered a fine performance for a first start since August.

“He’s about as fit as he can be off one sprint,” trainer Dean Pederson said Friday. “He showed a little spirit and fight down the lane.”

Owned by John Harris, Per Antonsen, and John Nicoletti, Fashionably Fast drew the outside post in the Tiznow and will be ridden by Tiago Pereira, who has been aboard for 18 of the 6-year-old’s 19 career starts. Pereira was aboard through the six-race winning streak, which included four stakes for statebreds.

An outside post in the Tiznow Stakes will allow Pereira to measure the tactics of other riders, notably Abel Cedillo who rides Desmond Doss, winner of a one-mile allowance race by 4 1/2 lengths as the 3-2 favorite on Feb. 5. Trained by Steve Miyadi, Desmond Doss drew the rail.

Desmond Doss could lead and may face an early challenge from Margot’s Boy, who was second by a head in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on turf last September.

“The important thing is to see what everyone does,” Pederson said of race tactics.

Last spring and summer, Fashionably Fast was second to the multiple graded stakes winner McKinzie in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita in June and sixth of seven in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes going six furlongs at Del Mar in August. Following the Bing Crosby, Fashionably Fast was given a 60-day rest.

In the Cal Cup Sprint, Fashionably Fast finished 3 1/4 lengths behind winner Brickyard Ride and a nose behind runner-up Tigre Di Slugo. Those horses are candidates for the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on March 6.

The other runners in the Tiznow are Surfing Star, third in the 2019 running, and the versatile 8-year-old gelding Brando the bar tender, who will have his 41st start.

Brando the bar tender has had a fascinating winter campaign, beginning with a win in an allowance race against Quarter Horses at 1,000 yards on Dec. 19 at Los Alamitos. Earlier this calendar year, Brando the bar tender was fifth in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 16.

Trainer Craig Dollase said Brando the bar tender was struck in the eye by a dirt clod during the race, causing the gelding to drift back to last.

“He was so far back and he went eight wide,” Dollase said. “He still closed to finish fifth.”

Brando the bar tender was a well-beaten second to Bold Endeavor in an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on dirt Feb. 6 in a prep for the Tiznow.

“He came back and ran a good second on the dirt,” Dollase said. “He’ll get a good trip.”