Photo: Hollywood Park
Dismissed
at nearly 10-1, Ace of Aces led throughout to win the $59,500 feature Friday at
Hollywood Park.
Ridden
for the first time by jockey Agapito Delgadillo, the 4-year-old Antonius Pius
gelding out of the Key of Luck mare Mikes Baby immediately established command,
relaxed well and had more than enough left to win by three-quarters of a
length.
Owned
by Michael House and trained by Jeff Mullins, Ace of Aces covered the mile on
turf in 1:34.69. The victory was the third in 10 starts for the Irish bred. He
increased his earnings to $123,431.
Fifth
in the 2009 Generous Stakes in his only previous appearance at Hollywood Park, Ace of Aces paid $21.60, $6.80 and
$4.60. Norvsky, the 6-5 favorite, paid $3.20 and $2.40. He finished a
half-length in front of 9-2 third choice Leroy’s Dynameaux, who had won the
Will Rogers Stakes here last June 20 in his graded stakes debut. The show price
on Leroy’s Dynameaux was $2.80.
Completing
the order of finish were Face and an Ace, Universal Peace, Scorewithcater, Do
It All, the 5-2 second choice, and Who’s Up, who has lost six in a row since
his victory in the 2009 Generous.
With
three wins Friday, jockey Alonso Quinonez moved into a tie for second in the
rider standings. After 10 days, Quinonez and Rafael Bejarano have nine wins,
five less than defending Spring/Summer champion Joel Rosario.
One
of Quinonez’s victories came aboard Coil, a comebacking 3-year-old son of Point
Given, who defeated stablemate Smash and four others in the seventh, a $52,400
optional claimer. Both Coil and Smash are trained by Bob Baffert, who saw Plum
Pretty win the Kentucky Oaks Friday at Churchill Downs.