Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and trainer Phil D’Amato continued their banner day Saturday when Innovative  landed her first black-type stakes win in the $103,500 John C. Harris Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies.

The Harris, formerly known as the Unzip Me Stakes, was recently renamed to honor the legacy of prominent California breeder and owner John C. Harris, who died in July.

Cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs for the first time in her seven-start career, Innovative raced patiently off the pace under jockey Ricardo Gonzalez as Lee’s Baby Girl  commanded the field on the front end, throwing down a :22.23 opening quarter. Maintaining her advantage turning for home, the front-runner suddenly floated wide at the quarter pole, forcing favored Casalu  out into the center of the stretch. The closely pursuing Innovative, full of momentum, had no issue with the extra ground in her path, edging clear for a neck score.

Innovative ($27.40) clocked the 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course in 1:12.98. Lee’s Baby Girl held off East Coast shipper Warming  to be second.

Little Red Feather Racing purchased Kentucky-bred Innovative for $230,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She is the third graded stakes winner for sire Complexity  , who was also represented by Ohio Derby (G3) winner Mo Plex  this season. Complexity stood the 2025 season at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky for a $25,000 fee.

Courtesy of the Bloodhorse