Sent right to the front after a fast beginning by jockey Flavian Prat, FAIZA (Girvin–Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike), a $725,000 2-year-old purchase by agegent Donato Lanni out of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, hooked up early with Teena Ella (War Front) and outlasted her rival to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status on debut. The second ‘TDN Rising Star’ and 16th winner for her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati), Faiza is out of a half-sister to MGSW and Spendthrift Farm stallion Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) while second dam Pomeroys Pistol, a graded-stakes winner herself, placed in both the GI Prioress S. and the GI Test S. Faiza’s yearling half-sister by Cairo Prince recently brought $160,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
