Photo: Hollywood Park
Returning
to the scene of his debut victory last Oct. 9, Awesome Patriot became a stakes
winner, wiring four opponents in the $72,960 Alydar Sunday at Hollywood Park.
The
result of the Alydar was one of the more formful of the nine race program as
upsets reigned.
Courtesy
of surprises by Mavisca ($79.20) in the first, Gumption ($25.40) in the fourth,
El Gran Matador ($45.60) in the fifth and Jax El ($23) in the sixth, there will
be carryovers in both the Player’s Pick 5 and the Pick 6 when racing resumes
Thursday.
The
amount carried over in the Player’s Pick 5, which debuted April 21, is
$107,487. The 50-cent minimum bet, which has a takeout rate of 14%, the lowest
of any wager offered in California,
is on the first five races daily.
The
carryovers in both wagers were the first of the Spring/Summer meet. The Pick 6
carryover is $91,681. The Pick Six begins on race 3. Post time is 1 p.m.
There
are also two oversized carryovers at Churchill Downs, which will resume its
Spring/Summer meet Thursday after a four day break. The Pick 6 carryover is
$514,583 and the Super High 5 carryover is $220,430. The Churchill Downs Pick 6
begins on the fourth race. Scheduled post time for the start of the Pick 6 is
11:21 a.m. PDT.
An
ungraded race for 3-year-olds, the Alydar had a satisfying conclusion for Bob
Baffert. The Hall of Fame trainer conditions both Awesome Patriot and runner-up
Uncle Sam.
Taking
full advantage of his inside post in the field of five, Awesome Patriot
immediately went to the front, relaxed well under jockey Rafael Bejarano,
kicked away from his closest pursuers approaching the stretch, then had enough
left to hold off his stablemate by three-quarters of a length.
Owned
by the Lanni Family Trust, the son of Awesome Again and the Cee’s Tizzy mare
Tizamazing won for the third time in six starts. He increased his bankroll to
$112,600 while completing the 1 1/8 miles over Cushion Track in 1:50.52.
The
2-1 favorite, Awesome Patriot, who was purchased for $350,000 as a yearling at
the Keeneland September sale in 2009, paid $6.20, $3.60 and $2.60.
Uncle
Sam, who was aiming for his second win in a row and third in four tries,
returned $3.80 and $2.40. The show price on Clarke Lane, who finished 2 ½ lengths
back of Uncle Sam, was $2.80. Burns and Red Sharp Humor, the longest shot of
the quintet at nearly 16-1, completed the field.
“I
thought Uncle Sam might make the lead, but after the break when I saw (Red
Sharp Humor) break better than Uncle Sam, I rushed my horse up a little bit to
make sure he had position by the first turn,’’ said Bejarano, who had two other
victories Sunday – Gumption and Red Sun in the eighth. “After the first turn,
he was really relaxed. The last time I won with him he was on the lead, so I
was trying to do the same today. I was waiting for the stretch and he showed me
a big kick, like always.’’