February 24, 1998
February 24, 1998
SANTA ANITA
Sunday's $125,000 Las Flores Handicap (gr. III) pitted older female sprinters going six furlongs over a wet fast track at Santa Anita. Zenda's Diablo had the lead until the stretch, when Calling You, Funallover, and Advancing Star came after her. Funallover's late run under Alex Solis won out by a head over Advancing Star, with Zenda's Diablo another 1-1/2 lengths back. Ivory Mint brushed with Madame Pandit in the stretch, so Corey Nakatani pulled up Ivory Mint. Funallover, who is trained by Gene White and owned by Ford, Garrettson, Sinks, et al, won in time 1:09.10.
OAKLAWN
Oaklawn Park presented the 50th running of the $75,000 Essex Handicap (gr. III) on Saturday. Relic Reward came out running with Phantom on Tour second most of the 1 1/16 miles. In the stretch, Phantom on Tour passed Relic Reward, but the latter came back to win by a neck in time 1:43.92. Owned by Janelle Grum and trained by Cecil Borel, Relic Reward carried 110 pounds to Phantom on Tour's 119. Brush With Pride was third.
FAIR GROUNDS
Cool Dixie improved her race record to five wins and two seconds from eight starts with her victory in the $125,000 Davona Dale Stakes for 3YO fillies at the Fair Grounds on February 21. Owned and trained by Louie Roussel III, Cool Dixie victory in the Davona Dale, which followed her win in the Tiffany Lass Stakes, sets her up to be the favorite in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. III) on March 14. Cool Dixie's only defeat this year was to Star of Broadway, who went on to finish second in the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita a week before the Davona Dale. Ronald Ardoin, tied for the lead in the jockey standings, kept Cool Dixie third behind Lu Ravi and Pantufla after breaking from the outside, then took the filly wide on the turn. She roared home in front by three in time 1:43 1/5 for the 1 1/16 miles under 122 pounds.
On Sunday, the Fair Grounds gave the colts a chance in the $125,000 Risen Star Stakes, the last prep for the Louisiana Derby (gr. III) on March 15. Trainer Neil Howard capped off a big weekend by winning the Risen Star with Comic Strip after taking the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) with Lil's Lad. With Shane Sellers up, the colt owned by Will Farish, G. Watts Humphrey, and J. Elkins won the 1 1/6 mile race in time 1:44.27 over local hero Captain Maestri. Time Limit was third.