After a slow beginning to her career, in which she went 0-1-1 in her first 10 starts, Island Winter has turned it all around and continued her excellent recent streak with a narrow victory in a 5 1/2-furlong race at Thistledown yesterday. With the victory, the 3-year-old Bahamian Squall filly bred by Don Dizney is 3-4-0 in her last seven tries.

    Guillermo Rodriguez was aboard Island Winter yesterday, and based on her previous six starts she was sent off as the 3/5 favorite. She broke well from the No. 3 post, battled head-and-head with Talk Dirty through fractions of :23.00, :47.08 and :59.82, led heading down the stretch and held off fast-closing Mrs. Robinson by half a length. She’s now 3-5-1 in 17 starts and the $7,320 winner’s check boosted her total to $38,809, with $31,829 coming this year.