DEL MAR : Inside Job for Another Review
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DEL MAR — Chris Speckert won’t have to worry the next time Another Review draws an inside post.
Never fond of having dirt kicked in his face before, the 4-year-old Buckaroo colt handled it fine Saturday en route to a 1 1/4-length victory over Claret in the $132,300 San Diego Handicap.
Making his first start since he was the beaten as the favorite in the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 27 and reunited with Laffit Pincay, Another Review was boxed in while fourth around the far turn, then found room entering the stretch and ran down Claret. The 1-2 favorite, he covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47, one-fifth of a second off of the track record.
Winning for the fourth time in his last five starts, Another Review will find the competition stiffer in his next race, the $1-million Pacific Classic on Aug. 30. Specifically, he will meet Paseana, the mare who has seven consecutive stakes victories.
“He was striding out much more this time,” Speckert said. “In the Gold Cup (in which he finished third at 11-10 odds) he had his neck bowed and he wasn’t striding out. This time, he got dirt in his face and he was still striding out, which means he was running his race. . . . This sets him up well for the Pacific Classic.
“We learned not to worry so much (if Another Review gets caught inside) and if the others don’t have to worry about blocking us in, they can get on with their business. He got a lot of dirt in his face. Laffit said he handled it well and I could see he was handling it much better.”
Pincay, who had ridden owner Thomas Mellon Evans’ colt in his first four starts in California, noticed a big difference. Before Saturday, a second was the best Another Review had managed in those four tries with Pincay.
“I saw I couldn’t go with (pacesetter Renegotiable) early, so I took him back,” Pincay said. “I was trapped for a while, but I knew the horse outside of me (Quintana) was going to tire. At the three-eighths pole, I pushed him outside and then I had room.
“He’s a much better horse now than he used to be. It used to be if he got behind horses, if he got dirt kicked at him, he didn’t like it at all. He was just fine with it today. I think he won this race easier than it looked. I like his chances for the million (the Pacific Classic).”
Claret, in his first start on the main track, finished a half-length ahead of 9-1 shot Quintana, ridden by Kent Desormeaux. Desormeaux had a little extra incentive for trying to defeat Another Review. After riding the colt to consecutive victories in the San Bernardino, Mervyn LeRoy and Californian, he was replaced by Speckert after the Gold Cup.
“I was sitting, sitting, sitting,” Desormeaux said. “I wanted to keep Laffit in the box. But when it came time, I didn’t have enough horse to keep the door closed. My horse ran well, though. He gave it a good shot.”
Because she is a daughter of Theatrical, Golden Treat was expected to enjoy the turf when she tried it for the first time in the $83,400 San Clemente Handicap Saturday.
The 121-pound highweight and 2-1 favorite didn’t disappoint, beating Morriston Belle and six other 3-year-old fillies in the prep for the Del Mar Oaks later in the month.
Making her first start since finishing fourth in the Kentucky Oaks on May 1, Golden Treat moved to the lead inside Hopeful Amber down the backside and won by nearly two lengths in 1:35 1/5 for the mile.
“I thought Mr. (trainer Richard) Mandella was going to kill me,” Desormeaux said of his decision to move to the lead so early.
“This is a filly who likes to lay off it and come on, but there I was up on the front. She was sharp today, though. She just wanted to go. I just aimed her. It’s a pleasure to ride ones like her.”
Owned by John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm, Golden Treat’s victory was her third in 10 starts and she has been worse than third only twice.
Horse Racing Notes
David Flores, injured in a spill Friday, was given medication and probably won’t ride for five days, according to his agent, Bill Barisoff. . . . Martin Pedroza and Kent Desormeaux each won three times Saturday. . . . Missionary Ridge was fourth in the San Diego, then came Renegotiable, the 5-1 second choice, and Subordinated Debt.
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