Miss Sea Cup was a winner in her turf debut, holding off 3-2
favorite La Sombre to win the $49,050 feature for California bred fillies and
mares Thursday at Hollywood Park.
One race later, the Super High 5 carried over for a second consecutive day, so
there will be $99,497 when racing resumes Friday. Post time is 12:30 p.m. The
Super High 5 is offered in the final race daily and is a 50 cent minimum bet.
Owned by breeders Michael and Cory Wellman and trained by
Paddy Gallagher, the 3-year-old Sea of Secrets filly out of the Bertrando mare
Miss Thirtyfour D won for the second time in three starts. The payday pushed
her earnings to $73,800.
Ridden by David Flores, the 9-2 second choice gained the
lead not long after the start, relaxed well and had enough in reserve to defeat
La Sombre by a half-length. The final time for six furlongs on turf was
1:10.38.
A first out winner Aug. 26 over Polytrack at Del Mar before finishing
third in a state bred allowance on conventional dirt at Santa Anita Oct. 29,
Miss Sea Cup returned $11.40, $4.80 and $3.20.
La Sombre, who had finished one length in front of Miss Sea
Cup in their earlier encounter on the main track at Santa Anita, was three-quarters
of a length better than Cactus Flyer.
Second in both starts over the Hollywood Park turf, La Sombre paid $3 and $2.80. The show price
on 6-1 shot Cactus Flyer was $4.
A pair of winners enabled Martin Garcia to move into sole
possession of second place in the jockey standings.
Garcia, who won the first with Joy Boy and the sixth with
Blueskiesnrainbows, has 15 victories, four less than leader Joel Rosario.
Rafael Bejarano is third with 14 wins halfway through the Autumn meet.
Blueskiesnrainbows is trained by Bob Baffert, who leads with
12 wins, five more than John Sadler.
Earlier in the day, Flores and fellow rider Daniel Sandoval
escaped serious injury when involved in a spill in the fourth race.
Sandoval was unseated when Red Mountain, his mount in the
$20,000 maiden claiming race, suffered an injury to his left front leg. Flores
and Sharp Upbeat was unable to avoid Red
Mountain, sending Flores
to the ground. Both riders were able to return to the jockey’s room under their
own power.
Trainer Francesco Santella won with his first starter in the
United States when Coal Region Kid rallied to take the third race Thursday.
A winner of nearly 100 races in his native Italy, Santella,
33, scored with the 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding claimed for $12,500 by
Vegas Racing Team LLC Oct. 22 at Santa Anita.
Ridden by apprentice Eswan Flores, Coal Region Kid, a 5-1
shot, won the $8,000 claimer by 2 ½ lengths, completing the 7 ½ furlongs on
Cushion Track in 1:31.10.