Sweetlalabye, a 2-year-old filly by Ocala Stud stallion Sweetsouthernsaint, took the opening leg of the Florida Stallion Stakes series at Calder Saturday, August 8 when she prevailed late in the $100,000 Desert Vixen S. going six furlongs for state-sired juvenile fillies.

Conditioned by Manny Tortora, Sweetlalabye broke her maiden at first asking going 4 ½ furlongs in June before jumping straight into stakes company in last month’s JJs Dream S. on Summit of Speed Day. She would stumble badly and lose all chance at the start of the JJs Dream, but despite trailing the entire field, Sweetlalabye rallied professionally to be fourth after her poor luck.

Her luck changed in her latest stakes try, as the chestnut filly broke with the field and was allowed to settle early in the Desert Vixen. When the field hit the stretch, she put in her usual rally and mowed down her rivals to hit the wire three-parts of a length on top. The final time was 1:13.72 over a fast local main track, and Sweetlalabye picked up her first stakes win and moves on to the $150,000 Susan’s Girl S. at seven furlongs on August August 29.

“I think she’ll go longer,” said Tortora about the daughter of Sweetsouthernsaint. “We’ll bring her back in the seven-eighths (Susan’s Girl S.).”

Tortora bred Sweetlalabye in Florida along with his wife Jacqueline and Richard & Toni Ancona from the Gold Meridian mare Nandys Gold. That same group owns and races the filly. Sweetlalabye’s record is now two wins from three starts with $89,200 in earnings.