Stays in Vegas kicks clear in Surfer Girl

Arcadia, CA

Stays in Vegas gets the perfect trip and disposes of her rivals down the stretch in the Surfer Girl Stakes Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita.

Lucky Folie set fast fractions for the distance with a half in :46. She had a clear lead until mid-stretch, but did not give up easily. Finishing the race second until being moved down to third for causing interference in the lane.

Folie veered into the rail down the stretch and forced Mirage to take up sharply. Mirage was squeezing through on the inside and finished the race third, but was officially moved up to second after this incident.

Stays in Vegas saved all the ground on the rail sitting third behind the speed. Grabbed the lead down the stretch after a three-wide move and never looked back.

Ridden to victory by jockey Alex Solis she return $17.40 to win. With a final time of 1:35.23 for the one-mile turf race.

The 9-5 favorite Jakaby Jade lost two left shoes during the race and never got involved finishing sixth.

Stays in Vegas is now three for four lifetime and showed a very nice turn of foot in this victory.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer hasn't mentioned her next race. 

Ben's Duchess Last to First in LA Woman

Arcadia, CA

Ben's Duchess took advantage of a rare four horse duel up front to rally past the entire field en-route to victory in the LA Woman Stakes Sunday.

Jockey Joe Talamo saw the whole race unfold in front of him and went five-wide turning for home. Pulling away to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 stakes for fillies and mares.

Uzziel finished a clearly beaten second just inside of favorited Taris in third.

Ben's Duchess ran the six furlongs in 1:15.79 and paid $19.60 to win.

This was the 3-year-old filly's first graded stakes victory. Bringing her win mark to four in nine starts for trainer John Sadler. 

Wild Dude Rallies in the Sprint Championship

Arcadia, CA

Wild Dude rolled down the stretch in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Saturday.

The favorite Masochistic and Distinctiv Passion set the table for the closers with opening fractions of :21 and :43. As the last pair out of the gate became the top two crossing the finish line.

Wild Dude rallied past the weakening leaders in the stretch and got first run on Kobe's Back. Officially taking the Grade 1 $300,000 stakes race by a neck.

Glacken Too was third. Masochistic faded to fourth and Distinctiv Passion weakened to last.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.45.

Ridden to victory by Rafael Bejarano, Wild Dude returned $6.20 to win and is likely headed to the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Alert Bay takes the City of Hope Mile

Arcadia, CA

Alert Bay rallied for a length victory in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile Sunday at Santa Anita.

Returning $10.80 to win over a very game second place finisher Big Cazanova at odds of 18-1.

The gelding has now won four of five starts on the Santa Anita turf course.

Avanzare, favored at odds of 8-5, finished another 1 1/2 lengths behind in third place. 

Alert Bay ran the mile on turf in 1:33.58 and was ridden to victory by jockey Martin Garcia.

Beholder continues her dominance

Arcadia, CA

At Santa Anita Park, Beholder dominated her seven rivals in the $300,000 Grade I Zenyatta Stakes on opening day of the track’s autumn meet.

Jockey Gary Stevens had her geared down in the stretch. Cruising to a 3 1/4-length victory. Beholder, the 1-9 betting favorite, stalked the pace-setting My Sweet Addiction before taking the lead around the far turn and gradually drawing away.

She ran the 1 1/16 miles distance in 1:42.83.

Next up is the Breeders' Cup Classic in November. Where she will take on Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and others at Keeneland race course.