Talamo Stays Hot With Unusual Hottie in Redondo Beach

On Saturday, Talamo won the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Handicap with Tale of a Champion.

Tale of a Champion won with a stalking trip, and Talamo used the same tactics aboard Unusual Hottie ($8.80), who was favored in a field of 11. Unusual Hottie closed from fifth on the backstretch with a three-wide rally on the turn to reach the front with a furlong remaining. She held off 6-1 Customer Base to win by 1 1/4 lengths, running a mile in 1:34.59.

“Her confidence is sky-high,” Talamo said. “Her turn of foot is unbelievable. She can place herself where you want her to be.”

Sugarinthemorning finished third, followed by Stormy Lucky, Morocco Moon, La Zubia, A Jealous Woman, Long Face, Appealing, Good Karma, and Little Emily.

Unusual Hottie, 4, is owned by Seyyed Nilforushan and trained by Jeff Mullins. A California-bred by Unusual Heat, Unusual Hottie has won 7 of 14 starts and $346,338.

Mullins said the $150,000 Solana Beach Handicap for California-bred females over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 18 could be Unusual Hottie’s next start.