Heleonor Rugby and jockey Christian Santiago Reyes won their second
stakes race of the 2011 Del Mar racing season with a decisive triumph in
Wednesday’s featured $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for
California-bred two-year-old fillies.
Heleonor Rugby, victress in the C.T.B.A. Stakes on July 22, saved
ground while moving into strong contention on the final turn, engaged
front-running Roar Baby Roar in deep stretch and drove to a one-length
win in 1:10.21. Roar Baby Roar held on gamely to nose out 9-5 favored
Lookin for Jonesy for second with 3-1 second choice Starlight Magic
finishing well for fourth in the field of seven fillies.
Withdrawn from the race were Billie’s Bling and Backwoods Belle.
Heleonor Rugby, a daughter of Tribal Rule owned by Coudelaria Jessica
and trained by A.C. Avila, was third in the Sorrento Stakes in between
the C.T.B.A. Stakes and Wednesday’s Generous Portion.
Scoring her third win in six starts, Heleonor Rugby returned $14,
$7.20 and $3.40 to her supporters in a crowd of 10,570. First money of
$60,000 boosted her earnings to $188,900 for the filly purchased for
$27,000 last March at the Barretts’ sale of two-year-olds in training.
Roar Baby Roar returned $8 and $3.80, while Lookin for Jonesy paid $2.80 to show.
With $1,682,432 in “new” money bet Wednesday added to a carryover
from Sunday of $341, 252, there was a total Pick Six pool of $2,023,684.
There were two perfect tickets and each was worth $619,991.80. Upsets
dominated the afternoon with only two of the Pick Six races won by
favorites.
Joe Talamo and Joel Rosario continued their battle atop the jockey standings. Each rider won his 36th race of the 37-day meeting, which will conclude next Wednesday, Sept. 7.