MARLEY'S FREEDOM A BLAME FILLY

But in the $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes (G2), a race she won last year, the First Dude  mare was ahead early in the long Los Alamitos Race Course stretch. A budding star in the female sprint division just happened to be looming on the outside.

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After she took up the rear of the five-horse field early in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, Marley's Freedom was loaded for the stretch under jockey Drayden Van Dyke. Cicero Farms' Blame  filly rallied four wide and gradually pushed past her rival to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

"I ride her with a lot of confidence," Van Dyke said. "The plan was to take her back and make a run, and she gave me a real nice turn of foot. Skye Diamonds fought gamely, but I knew we had her measured."

Marley's Freedom finished the distance in 1:15.00 to win her third straight race and second graded event, following her 7 1/4-length victory in her first start for trainer Bob Baffert, the May 27 Desert Stormer Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Skye Diamonds was on the front under jockey Tiago Pereira just after the start as well, but Phantom Proton, who finished second to Marley's Freedom in an optional-claiming allowance April 20, rushed up on the inside to set a pace of :22.09 and :45.42 through a half-mile. Phantom Proton finished third, three lengths behind Skye Diamonds.

Marley's Freedom was 2 1/4 lengths off the lead early and was confidently handled by Van Dyke throughout.

"Drayden knows her," said Mike Marlow, Baffert's assistant for his Los Alamitos string. "We just wanted her to break and then let her relax. I didn't anticipate her being that far back, but that is kind of where she wants to be. He kept her in the clear and rode her like he was on the best horse. She could be a lot of fun the rest of the year. We're off to a good start."

Kentucky Downs
Best of Me came in three-quarters of a length behind Phantom Proton and was followed by Turkish Tabby to complete the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky by Jack Swain III, out of the Formal Gold mare Relaxing Green, Marley's Freedom has a 5-2-0 record from 11 starts and $353,435 in earnings. She was a $35,000 purchase by Cicero Farms out of the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Prior to the Desert Stormer, she was trained by Bob Hess Jr.