Jockey
Johnny Gihua, riding his final day with an apprentice allowance, earned his
first Oak Tree victory with a 14-1 upset aboard The Bat Signal in a $50,400
allowance Friday at Hollywood
Park.
A
native of Peru, Gihua guided
the 4-year-old Gotham
City gelding out of the
Avenue of Flags mare High Flying Honor to a 1 ¼ length win over 3-1 second
choice Scofield Barracks. The final time for the 6 ½ furlongs was 1:16.11.
Trained
by Eric Kruljac, who co-owns the California
bred with Peter Mizloch, The Bat Signal continued his love affair with Cushion
Track.
The
victory was his fifth in nine starts over the surface. Overall, The Bat Signal
has seven wins in 16 races. He has earned $190,084.
Never
far off the pace after breaking from the rail, The Bat Signal was angled to the
outside by Gihua on the backstretch and took over the lead early in the
stretch.
The
third longest price in the field of seven, The Bat Signal paid $31.40, $9.20
and $4.20.
Scofield
Barracks returned $4.20 and $3. The show price on Leothelion, who finished 1-1/4
lengths behind the runner-up, was $3.60. Inverness
Cape, the 4-5 favorite on the strength
of a debut win on Sept. 3 at Del
Mar, finished last.
There
was one winning ticket worth $60,652.20 in the Pick Six.
Racing
resumes Saturday. Post time is 1 p.m.
The
third day of the Oak Tree at Hollywood
Park meet will be the
most significant of the season. Four Grade I’s with Breeders’ Cup implications
are on the menu.
The
most anticipated of those races is the $250,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes, Presented
by TVG. Heading the field of six is Zenyatta, who is undefeated in 18 starts.
This will be the final Southern California
appearance for the 6-year-old mare before she attempts to defend her title in
the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs.
In
addition to the Lady’s Secret, the 10 race program includes the $250,000
Norfolk Stakes, Presented by Emirates Airline, the $250,000 Yellow Ribbon
Stakes and the $250,000 Goodwood Stakes. Both the Yellow Ribbon and Goodwood
are presented by TVG.
A
90 minute telecast that will include the Norfolk,
Lady’s Secret and Yellow Ribbon will be shown on ESPN Classic (3:30-5 p.m.
PDT). The Lady’s Secret will also be on ESPN. Approximate post for a race
Zenyatta has won the last two years is 4:15 p.m.