Photo: Hollywood Park
Ain’t
No Other made a successful transition to both Southern California and turf as
he continued his win streak Thursday in the $85,900 Harry Henson Stakes, the
opening day feature of the Spring/Summer meet at Hollywood Park.
Trained
by Steve Miyadi for owner-breeder Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, Ain’t No Other, a
3-year-old Old Topper gelding out of the Shadeed mare Miami Margie, earned a
fifth consecutive victory in his grass debut.
After
finishing a distant fourth in initial start last July 11 at Pleasanton,
the California bred began his roll with a
maiden win at Sacramento
11 days later, then, after seven months on the sidelines, won three in
succession over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields.
After
pressing the pace outside Robie the Cat, Ain’t No Other took the lead in
midstretch and went on to the three-quarters of a length victory despite some
erratic behavior in the closing yards. He completed the six furlongs in
1:08.52.
Patrick
Valenzuela rode the 5-1 shot and it was the first stakes victory during the
Spring/Summer meet at Hollywood
Park for Valenzuela since
he won the Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks aboard Hystericalady June 11, 2006.
Robie
the Cat, the only member of the Henson field with prior experience on the Hollywood Park turf course, saved the place as the
7-2 third choice. He finished a half-length in front of Gig
Harbor, another Northern California
shipper who suffered his first loss after two wins at Golden
Gate, then came Sinai, 19-10 favorite Diamond Geezah, Boxeur des
Rues and Eric the Ram.
Rafael
Bejarano, who was aboard the runner-up, claimed foul against the winner for
alleged interference in the stretch, but it was dismissed by the stewards.
The
win was the fifth in six starts for Ain’t No Other. He has earned $127,460. The
winner paid $13.60, $6.80 and $4.20. Robie the Cat returned $4.60 and $3.40.
The show price on Gig
Harbor was $4.80.
“Nice
way to open the meet, huh?’’ said Valenzuela. “Even though he’s never been on
the turf, I was confident because Steve told me he could run and I knew I had a
lot of horse underneath me. The horse Rafael was on was trying to get out
around the turn, but I was able to collar him at the eighth pole and started to
draw away.
“My
horse kind of ducked in and out the last part. He ran a great race, just a
little green on turf because he had never run on it.’’
The
Player’s Pick 5, a 50-cent minimum bet which has a California low takeout rate of 14%, debuted
Thursday. The total handle for the wager, which consists of the first five
races daily, was $103,291. There were 236 winning tickets and each was worth
$263.55. There were 3,870 tickets with four of five. The consolations paid
$6.85.
About
10 minutes before Bejarano earned his second win of the day on Kate’s Event in
the fourth race, Air Force One appeared in the skies over Hollywood Park.
Air Force One landed a short while later at nearby Los
Angeles International
Airport as President Obama began his
visit to Southern California.
Racing
resumes Friday night. Post time is 7:05 p.m. There is a carryover in the Super
High Five, which is offered each racing day in the final race. The carryover is
$29,232.90.
After
the eight race program is concluded, the Friday night concert series of the
2011 Spring/Summer meet will kick off with Plain White T’s. The concerts are
held at the North Park Lawn. Approximate start time is 10:30 p.m.