Photo: Hollywood Park
Italian Rules, the 5-2 second choice
in a field of six, won for the third time in his last four starts, taking the
$75,742 feature Thursday at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Kevin Krigger rode the 7-year-old
son of Tribal Rule and the Half a Year mare Golden Harmony for owners Gary and
Cecil Barber and trainer John Sadler.
Joel Rosario was named at entry time
to ride the California bred, but he was still in the Dominican Republic
Thursday after attending the funeral of his brother Marino, who was killed in
an auto accident last weekend.
Claimed for $40,000 by his current
connections March 6, 2011, Italian Rules has subsequently won four of six and
was runner-up in his two defeats. One of those second place finishes was behind
runaway winner Mobilized in the Tiznow Stakes on California Gold Rush Day April
28.
Quickly able to make the lead while
racing inside Indian Firewater, Italian Rules shook off that rival early in the
stretch and went on to win by 3 ¼ lengths. The final time for the six furlongs
over Cushion Track was 1:08.55, the fastest of the Spring/Summer meet for the
distance.
Italian Rules, who paid $7, $3.60
and $2.40, has eight wins in 25 starts. He’s earned $397,940.
The lesser regarded of two entrants
for leading trainer Bob Baffert, Indian Firewater returned $5.80 and $4. He
wound up 1 ½ lengths in front of Live Sundays, the race outsider at 12-1. The
show price on Live Sundays was $5.
Racing Aptitude, the 8-5 favorite
making his first appearance since Dec. 26 for Baffert, wound up fourth,
three-quarters of a length behind Live Sundays. Smart Spending and Bench Points
completed the order of finish.
Jockey Chantal Sutherland had her
first multiple win day of the season, scoring with a pair of longshots.
Sutherland, who has seven victories through 17 days, won the second with Blue
Eyes Included ($26.60) and the fifth with Ninth Infantry ($15.80).