Desert Party filly blows them away at Del Mar

Desert Party filly Desert Willow certainly turned heads August 29 with an impressive last-to-first score at Del Mar. The filly was making her first start in the five-and-one-half-furlong race, settling to the back of the pack and steadily advancing throughout. In the stretch Desert Willow flew past competitors and easily landed the win.

Desert Willow is out of Etiole, a daughter of G1-placed Santaria, and half-sister to G2 winners Medallist and Air Commander, and G2-placed Formidable. The daughter of Desert Party was bred by Michael Banahan & Kathryn Banahan.

Desert Party is the sire of six two-year-old winners to date, including Party Pooper who broke his maiden in the New Westminster Handicap August 16. Just one day later Can't Happen Here won on debut in a Maiden Special Weight at Saratoga. He has also been represented by Rousanne and Heart's Song, both winners at Churchill Downs, among others.

A son of Street Cry, Desert Party was a Graded or Group winner at two, three, and four, including the G2 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga. He has also seen good results in the sales ring, including a $460,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling last July and a $425,000 sale at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of Two-Year-Olds In Training.