Aviator Wins Despite Foul Claim

Aviator outfinished Plenty Conscious and then withstood a foul claim Thursday in the $30,000 feature race at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting.

Aviator, ridden by Rafael Meza, covered 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita’s turf course in 1:48 1/5 to win by a half-length and paid $10.40, $5 and $2.80.

Plenty Conscious, ridden by Bill Shoemaker, crossed the finish line two lengths in front of Hatim and returned $7.60 and $3.60. Hatim, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Laffit Pincay, paid $2.60 to show.

Aviator, a Brazilian-bred 5-year-old, won for the third time in his last five starts. Shoemaker lodged a claim of foul afterward, but it was disallowed by the stewards after they viewed a replay of the stretch run.