Miss Deplorable survived an early speed duel and then had enough to hold off even-money favorite Auldwood Lane by one length to capture the $60,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, providing trainer Baltazar Galvan with his first career stakes win. 

Sent off at 12-1 in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies, Miss Deplorable stayed on the flanks of Elizabeth Darcy early on before pulling away from the early leader. She was then able to hold off the late-closing Auldwood Lane to win the 5½-furlong turf sprint in 1:02.70. 

Saturday marked the first time the Delaware Park-based Galvan had ever been to Monmouth Park. 

“I have mostly cheaper horses and claimers but this one is a good one,” said Galvan, who oversees a 24-horse stable. “She acted like a grass horse all along. So we tried her on the grass and she has been very good since we put her on the grass. It feels great to get my first stakes win with her because I always thought a lot of her.” 

After starting her career in a stakes race on the dirt at 2 – and finishing a tiring sixth – Galvan put the daughter of Big Drama-Usual Manner on the grass at Gulfstream on March 21. She finished a late-closing second in that five-furlong dash, then broke her maiden at Delaware Park in her next start on June 28 at five furlongs on the grass. She made the transition from Maiden Special Weight company to stakes company look easy. 

“I started her in a stakes race (on the dirt) in her very first start so I always felt she had ability,” said Galvan. “I break my own babies. No one else has ever put the saddle on her. It’s a very good feeling to get that first stakes win.” 

Ridden by Carlos Hernandez and owned by Six Sandbaggers Stable, Miss Deplorable now has two wins and a second in three career grass tries. 

“The trainer told me to try to break quickly with her and maybe sit second, right off the speed,” said Hernandez. “I did that and I felt like I was waiting, waiting, waiting. At the quarter pole it was time to go and we did. I was worried about the favorite coming at us. I looked at the infield screen and saw her coming. I just rode my horse a little harder. She was able to get the job done.” 

Miss Deplorable returned $27.20 to win.