Outstandingly, a Fiesty Filly, Wins a Thriller : She Outruns La Kouima and Estrapade Down the Stretch in Wilshire ‘Cap

The first time they tried to usher Outstandingly to the Hollywood Park winner’s circle after Sunday’s $133,100 Wilshire Handicap, the filly turned herself around so that the wrong end was facing the camera for the obligatory photograph with the owners and handlers.

After several futile attempts to keep Outstandingly in one spot long enough for a snapshot, they finally gave up and took this ornery 4-year-old back to stables.

Another race won, another winner’s circle photo lost. That seemed to be a good trade for trainer Laz Barrera and jockey Gary Stevens, because the only photo they really cared about was the one at the finish line.

In one of the more competitive and exciting stakes races of the current meeting, Outstandingly was neck-and-neck-and-neck with La Kouima and Estrapade from the stretch to the wire in the 1 1/6-mile race on the turf.

The photo showed what many already expected. Outstandingly, sent off as the second favorite (2-1) behind Estrapade (3-5), had captured her third straight stakes win by a head in a relatively slow 1:41 3/5.

Outstandingly paid $6.80, $4 and $2.10. La Kouima, a 5-1 shot, was second and returned $4.80 and $2.10, and Estrapade paid $2.10.

This was an important race for Outstandingly, making a comeback even at the young age of 4. As a 2-year-old, Outstandingly lived up to her name by winning the Eclipse award as the best filly in her age classification. But, in sort of a sophomore jinx, the Kentucky-bred filly had a dismal 1985 showing, winning just one of seven races and earning just $78,134 for owners Louis and Patrice Wolfson of New York’s Harbor View Farm.

With Sunday’s $75,600 winner’s share, Outstandingly almost eclipsed last year’s earnings in one race. Outstandingly has now won four of her last five races, boosting her yearly earnings to $217,150, and Barrera is already talking about another Eclipse award.

“You got to remember that she was the best 2-year-old in the country (in 1984) and she did it here in California,” Barrera said. “She’s really back to form.”

Outstandingly’s form certainly was to Stevens’ liking. The filly led wire to wire in a race devoid of pace but not excitement. Outstandingly broke extremely fast and hugged the rail the entire way, never trailing even though Estrapade and La Koumia challenged as early as the backstretch.

The race, as expected, was shaping up as a battle between Estrapade and Outstandingly, but La Kouima intervened at the far turn and approached the leaders on the outside. At the end, La Kouima was running the strongest but simply had too much turf to make up, and Outstandingly simply would not give up.

“I hadn’t planned to go to the front, but she got a lot of speed leaving the gate,” Stevens said. “I didn’t want to let her suck back. The whole key is to keep her moving. I made the mistake the last time in the Santa Barbara (Handicap, March 30). She went out fast in that one but I held her back. Next thing I knew, she was 12 lengths back.”

The Santa Barbara Handicap was the last race for Estrapade, who took two months off after finishing second to Mountain Bear in that Santa Anita turf race. Outstandingly finished a distant sixth in that race and Stevens vowed not to make the same mistake again on the turf.

Outstandingly’s last two wins came on the main track, and she didn’t want to pose for winner’s circle photographs for those races, either. In fact, Barrera walked over to a pole near the winner’s circle and showed where Outstandingly made a big dent in it after winning the A Gleam Handicap on May 10.

“She’s as tough as a colt,” Barrera said. “When she’s good, she still challenges you. In the barn, you’ve got to watch out. She’ll kick at you and cause all trouble.”

Stevens likes Outstandingly’s toughness, except when it comes time to ease her into the winner’s circle.

“She’s extra tough down on the rail,” he said. “She loves it down there. She’s real good with whoever is on her back. But I don’t like to be around her when we’re not out there (racing). Today, after the race, we just decided to keep her away. We didn’t want what happened last time to happen again.”

Charlie Whittingham and Bill Shoemaker, trainer and rider, respectively, of Estrapade, were no doubt hoping for the same result as in the Santa Barbara Handicap. Shoemaker kept Estrapade next to Outstandingly from the clubhouse turn to the wire but could never nudge past her.

La Kouima might have overtaken Outstandingly if jockey Ray Sibille wasn’t forced to take her wide to make up ground.

“I knew Outstandingly would be out on the lead,” Sibille said. “I had to do something. I made the lead at the middle of the stretch.”

But not at the wire.

Barrera, who began training the filly only late last summer, believes that staying in Southern California is the key to Outstandingly’s resurgence after spending most of her 3-year-old campaign in the East Coast.

“She won (the eclipse) out here in California,” Barrera said. “I don’t know what happened to her back East last year. Perhaps she didn’t like the tracks back there. She just loves Hollywood Park.”

Perhaps if Outstandingly remains in Southern California long enough, she will become a little more laid back--or at least no longer camera shy.

Horse Racing Notes Trainer Laz Barrera said Outstandingly’s next race probably will be The Gamely, a 1 1/8-mile turf race on June 8. . . . Charlie Whittingham and Bill Shoemaker will team again today in the Hollywood Invitational. Dahar, the Shoemaker-ridden and Whittingham-trained horse, is expected to be favored the $300,000 race that will be 1 1/2 miles on the Hollypark turf. Dahar, winner of 7-of-24 starts for a total purse of more than $870,000, will carry top weight of 126 pounds. The closest rival to Dahar is Strawberry Road II, also trained by Whittingham but ridden by Gary Stevens. . . . Last year’s Hollywood Invitational was won by Both Ends Burning, who impressively defeated Dahar. But Dahar has won his last two races--the San Luis Rey Stakes and San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita--and is said to be in top form. . . . Today’s Jersey Derby at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, N.J., will be televised live at Hollywood Park. Fans also will be allowed to wager on the race, which features Snow Chief. The Jersey Derby has a post time of approximately 2:15 PDT. It will be shown between the first and second races at Hollywood Park. . . . The Jersey Derby can also be seen on cable TV in homes that get the Financial News Network. “SCORE,” FNN’s sports show, is televising the race nationally.