Tomlin pulls away in Debutante

After front-running sprint wins on the dirt at the Sonoma County Fair and on the Tapeta Footings synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields, Tomlin tried 1 mile on turf in the Pike Place Dancer Stakes on Oct. 27.

She didn’t show any speed while finishing a distant third, but back sprinting on Tapeta in Friday’s $57,625 Golden Gate Debutante, Tomlin pulled away in the stretch for a 2½-length victory.

“She ran well today, but she didn’t want any part of that soft turf,” trainer Steve Specht said. “She wouldn’t even pick up her feet. For her not to show any speed in there showed that she didn’t like it.”

Tomlin certainly showed speed in Friday’s 6-furlong race on Tapeta, breaking fastest from the gate and then allowing Boomchicaboom to gain a short lead from her inside.

Boomchicaboom maintained a 1-length advantage through most of the turn, but Tomlin surged to her outside, and La Aguilalla made an even wider move from sixth place into contention.

La Aguilalla, who won her only other start, appeared to put her head in front of Tomlin in midstretch as Boomchicaboom faded. But Tomlin re-broke under jockey Frank Alvarado and went on to a comfortable win

“I got a little nervous when that horse rolled up on her from the outside and we were between horses,” Specht said. “But Frank managed to get her back into the race.”

Tomlin finished in a good 1:09.88 and paid $6.80 to win as the 2.4-1 favorite in the field of 10 2-year-old fillies.

“Even though she got beat 8 lengths (in the Pike Place Dancer), she managed to come on and get third,” Specht said. “So I don’t think distance is going to be an issue. But we’re not going to be looking at any turf races.”

Specht said Tomlin’s next start likely will be the 11/16-mile California Oaks on Tapeta in February. Briefly: Trainer Blaine Wright and jockey Juan Hernandez won two $100,000 sprint stakes with Golden Gate Fieldsbased horses Wednesday at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M. Alliford Bay ($6) took the Zia Park Distaff and Anyportinastorm ($7.80) led from the start in the Zia Park Sprint.