Country Star has bright future

Although she has no chance to win the Eclipse Award, the best 2-year-old filly in the country was on display Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Country Star, a daughter of Empire Maker who was impressive winning the Alcibiades on Oct. 5 at Keeneland, was even more dazzling in her return, winning the $425,500 Hollywood Starlet.

Owned and bred by Bob and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable and trained by Bobby Frankel, Country Star bypassed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to point for the Starlet, so the Eclipse is certain to go to Indian Blessing, a decisive winner of the Juvenile Fillies over a sloppy surface on Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park.

A double Grade I winner only three races into her career, Country Star, the even-money favorite, was kept outside by jockey Rafael Bejarano while reserved off the pace, then swept to the front in the stretch and won by 2 3/4 lengths. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was a Cushion Track record of 1:40.54.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano, who has ridden Country Star in each of her races, including a runner-up finish against maidens in her bow on the Belmont Park turf on Sept. 20, is exceptionally high on the dark bay.

“You can’t compare her win in Kentucky with this one,” he said. “There is no comparison. She is so much better now. You can place her anywhere you want. I just followed the speed and when I got her in the clear, she just exploded.”

A couple of starts at Santa Anita, including the Santa Anita Oaks, could be on Country Star’s schedule, then, according to Frankel, a return to Kentucky.

“She might be something special,” said the Hall of Fame trainer. “She is great to be around, easy to train and does everything 100%.”

The Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs would look to be the obvious target for Country Star, but Bejarano, for one, believes she might be up to handling a more daunting task.

When asked about the 2008 Oaks, Bejarano didn’t hesitate. “Oaks?” he asked. “She’s going to be the next Kentucky Derby winner.”

Grace And Power, a 13-1 shot who, like the winner, was making her first start in California, was second, two lengths clear of 17-1 outsider The Golden Noodle. Grace Anatomy, the 3-1 second choice who had finished only a bit more than one length behind Country Star in the Alcibiades, never threatened, finishing eighth.

Owned by renowned chef Bobby Flay, Grace And Power has now been first, second or third in all five of her starts for trainer Steve Klesaris.

The Starlet was her first appearance in a graded stakes and first on something other than turf.

“When I asked her to run at the three-eighths pole, she just exploded so fast that I had to take her to the outside,” said Michael Baze of the runner-up. “She rolled home, but the favorite was going faster.”

Trainer John Bassett collected his fourth win in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity when One Famous Eagle defeated Eye For Corona by a head late Friday night.

One Famous Eagle, who became the 3-2 favorite after Fighter On Fire, who had been favored, was scratched after flipping in the starting gate, completed the 400 yards in 19.52 seconds.

Owned by Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches Ltd., One Famous Eagle, who was the fastest qualifier for the Two Million, was ridden by Saul Ramirez. The victory was the second in a row in the Grade I for Ramirez, who was aboard Blues Girl Too in 2006.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com