A
stretch to 7 ½ furlongs proved no problem for Amazombie as the talented gelding
won for the third time in four 2011 starts, taking the $125,000 Tiznow Stakes
by 2 ¾ lengths Saturday at Hollywood Park.
The
Tiznow was one of the highlights of the 12th California Gold Rush, a
day featuring eight stakes – including the $60,000-plus NTRA, which was run in
divisions – and total purses of more than $845,000 for California
breds.
Victor
Espinoza, the winningest rider in Gold Rush history, added a pair of victories
to his resume and both were surprises.
The
more lucrative was with Nahem, a 12-1 outsider, who won a narrow decision over
15-1 shot Woodmans Luck in the $150,000 Snow Chief.
This
was the 19th Gold Rush win for Espinoza, who had scored earlier in
the day with Warren’s
Knockout ($30.40) in the $71,200 Grey Memo.
Switching
to a synthetic surface after a head loss on turf in his final start of the
Santa Anita season March 13, Nahem was reserved off the pace while in the
clear, and was able to get up late and win by a head over Woodmans Luck, who
trailed for most of the trip.
Owned
by breeders Harris Farms and Michael and Cory Wellman and trained by Paddy
Gallagher, Nahem, a 3-year-old Bertrando gelding out of the Moscow Ballet mare Miss
Bev
Hills,
won for the second time in five starts. He ran the 1 1/8 miles over Cushion
Track in 1:52.20.
The
win for Espinoza was his third in the Snow Chief, tying him with Laffit Pincay,
Jr. for the lead. Espinoza had won previously with Vote Of Honesty (1997) and
Da Stoops (2006).
“I
thought I was going to get there, but I wasn’t expecting the outside horse
(Woodmans Luck) to come running,’’ said Espinoza. “I knew the favorites were
starting to get tired the last sixteenth and I knew I had them. About 10 yards
before the wire, my horse switched to the wrong lead and I thought at that
moment it might have cost me the race. This horse is not that easy to ride.
He’s still learning and a little bit immature.’’
Pushing
his earnings to $134,400, Nahem paid $26, $10.60 and $7.80. Woodmans Luck, the
longest price in the field of seven, returned $13.60 and $6.20. A half-length
back in third was Thirtyfirststreet, who paid $4.20 to show.
Completing
the order of finish were Chiloquin, the 5-2 favorite who weakened a bit late
after showing the way, Burns, who had some traffic problems, Offlee Wild Boys
and Drink At Buster’s.
The
5-2 second choice, Drink At Buster’s was pulled up shortly after the finish and
was vanned off with an apparent injury to his left front leg.
Successful
earlier in the year in the Sunshine Millions Sprint and Potrero Grande at Santa
Anita from slightly off the pace, Amazombie led virtually throughout in the
Tiznow, completing the distance in 1:29.06 over Cushion Track.
Owned
by Thomas Sanford and trainer Bill Spawr, the 5-year-old son of Northern Afleet and the
In Excess mare Wilshe Amaze won for the eighth time in 18 starts. He’s earned
$493,708.
With
Joel Rosario subbing for Mike Smith, who was in New York to ride Astrology to a
second place finish in the $150,000 Jerome Stakes on closing day at Aqueduct,
Amazombie paid $4.20, $3 and $2.40.
In
his first start since finishing eighth in the Al Quoz Sprint March 26 in Dubai,
Quick Enough, a 9-1 shot, gained the place, 1 ¼ lengths in front of Mobilized,
who also finished third in last year’s Tiznow. Quick Enough returned $7.80 and
$5.40. The show price on Mobilized was $3.80.
“Before
we gelded him, it would take about four of us to saddle him,’’ said Spawr of
Amazombie. “He just gets better and better. Right now, we’ll just enjoy this
and give him a little bit of a break. The way he handled the track today, we
might just wait and run him in the ($250,000) Triple Bend (Handicap).’’
A
Grade I at seven furlongs, the Triple Bend will be run Saturday, July 2 at Hollywood
Park.
“He’s
a good one,’’ said Rosario.
“He just goes out and does his job every time. I had a lot of confidence the
whole way. He was strong all the way to the wire.’’
About
an hour earlier, Rosario
earned the first of his three Saturday wins, making it back-to-back victories
in the $125,000 B. Thoughtful, rallying for a one length score with favored
Ultra Blend.
Rosario,
who won the 2010 B. Thoughtful aboard U R All That I Am, is now 4-for-6 in
tandem with the 5-year-old daughter of Richly Blended and the Desert Classic
mare Ankha.
Trained
by Art Sherman for owner Nels Erickson, Ultra Blend, who has won three of four
over Cushion Track, surged outside to collar pacesetter Lady Railrider in the
closing yards.
Covering
the 7 ½ furlongs in 1:30.40, Ultra Blend, the 124-pound highweight, earned her
ninth victory in 20 starts. She lifted her bankroll to $535,646. Her mutuel
supporters received $3.60, $2.40 and $2.10.
A
winner of two in a row at Golden Gate Fields earlier in the year, Lady
Railrider returned $4.40 and $2.60. Excellent News, winner of the 2010 Warren’s
Thoroughbred, paid $3.60 to show.
Rosario
also won the $125,000 Melair as Miles Rules, in her first venture beyond six
furlongs, held on to defeat 11-1 shot Scremaing Regal.
Trained
by Cliff Sise, Jr. for owner-breeder Halo Farms, Miles Rules, a 3-year-old
Tribal Rule filly out of the Bien Bien mare Fair Bianca, opened a big lead
around the turn and into the stretch, wobbled coming to the wire and had just
enough left to prevail by a nose.
The
victory was the third in four starts for the 2-1 favorite and increased her
bankroll to $145,200. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.09.
“I
broke a little slow and I sent her because I wanted to take the lead,’’ said Rosario.
“That’s the way she runs. She was pulling a little, but not too bad. She was
fighting to the end, but just got a little tired.
“It
was her first time going long. I think she’ll do better next time. Sometimes
it’s hard to tell who won the photo, but I was pretty sure she had held.’’
Miles
Rules paid $6.80, $4.60 and $3.60. Screaming Regal, who finished 3 ¼ lengths
ahead of third place finisher Warren’s Flyer, returned $9.20 and $5. The show
payoff on Warren’s
Flyer was $4.80.
Bejarano
continued his love affair with Gold Rush Day as he tripled, giving him 11
victories in the last three years.
Two
of the wins Saturday were in Gold Rush events – giving him 10 in his career and
moving him ahead of Alex Solis into second on the all time. Bejarano’s other
victory came aboard Averoo in the day’s only non restricted race.
Bejarano
repeated in the $70,400 Warren’s
Thoroughbreds, squeezing through along the rail aboard Going for a Spin en
route to a 2 ¼ length decision over Zenidekka, who set the pace as the longest
shot in the field at 21-1. Bejarano won the 2010 renewal with Excellent News.
A
three-time riding titlist at Hollywood
Park
– including last year’s Oak Tree meet – Bejarano also won the second division
of the NTRA with 4-5 choice Awesome Indy. On My Honor, the even-money favorite,
captured the initial division under jockey David Flores.
The
final Gold Rush race, the $63,200 Alphabet Kisses, went to Sparkling Style, a
debuting 3-year-old daughter of Badge of Silver ridden by Martin Garcia for
owner Arnold Zetcher and trainer Bob Baffert. The 6 ½ length win was a record
ninth in the Gold Rush for Baffert.
Racing
resumes Sunday. Post time is 1 p.m. The feature on the Easter program is the
$100,000 Inglewood Handicap. A Grade III at 1 1/16 miles on turf, the Inglewood
drew six entrants, including 2009 Hollywood Derby winner The Usual Q.T.
Besides
The Usual Q.T., who has won two of three on the local grass, the field includes
Liberian Freighter, Honour the Deputy, Ryehill Dreamer, Kelly Leak and Jeranimo.
There
is also a Super High 5 carryover, the second of the meet. The carryover for the
wager, which is offered in the last race daily, is $25,644.