Longshot Bran Jammas and jockey Alonso Quinonez combined
talents to spring an $18.80 upset in Sunday's $100,000 Solana Beach Handicap
for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile on the grass before 16,924
racing fans.
Bran Jammas, sent to the gate at 8-1 in pursuit of her first
stakes victory, outfinished 3-1 second betting choice Ultra Blend in deep
stretch to win by a neck, with early pacemaker My Maloof Rocker third and You Lift
Me Up fourth after stumbling badly at the break. U R All That I Am, the 8-5
favorite in a field of six, was fifth. Withdrawn from the field were Sandy
Cheeks and Lady Railrider.
Bran Jammas, a daughter of In Excess owned by the
partnership of Frank Alesia, the Bran Jam Stable of Michael Mellen and Joe
Ciaglia and trained by Peter Eurton, ran the distance in 1:35.08 and returned
$18.80, $7.40 and $4.60 across the board. First money of $60,000 increased the
five-year-old mare's career earnings to $181,696. It was her fourth win in 13
starts.
Ultra Blend, ridden by Joel Rosario, paid $5.80 and $4.40,
while My Maloof Rocker returned $5.20 to show.
Earlier on the program, Sweet August Moon won the $150,000
Rancho Bernardo Handicap over three rivals, running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.40 in
winning by three-quarters of a length under Victor Espinoza.
Alpha Kitten, the even-money choice, was second, with Silver
Swallow third. Taste's Sis completed the abbreviated field of older fillies and
mares. Free Flying Soul was a scratch from the original field.
Sweet August Moon, a five-year-old mare by Malibu Moon, is
owned by Legacy Ranch and Team MacPherson and trained by Brian Koriner. Second
choice at 8-5, she paid $5.20 while earning $90,000 with her seventh win in 17
starts.