Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Einstein & Stardom Bound Winners on Santa Anita Handicap Day March 7
Posted on Saturday, March 7th, 2009
Running for the first time on a synthetic surface, the Brazilian-bred Einstein won Saturday’s $1-million Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita Park March 7.
“He’s a good horse on the turf. He’s a good horse on the dirt. He’s a good horse on anything,” jockey Julien Leparoux said. “We didn’t really know about this track, but we were pretty sure he as going to handle it. And he did.”
Race horse trainer for Einstein Helen Pitts-Blasi said, “He rode him beautifully. It’s an unbelievable feeling, just means the world to me. Einstein was very comfortable with this track from the time he got here.”
The 7-year-old son of 1985 Kentucky Derby champion Spend a Buck, Einstein, held off Champs Elysees down the stretch to win by one length. Pacesetter Matto Mondo finished third, another neck behind.
Einstein, who had won on both dirt and grass in his 23 previous races, carried high weight of 121 pounds and covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.93.
Late in the race, Blue Exit, a 4-year-old who had won 4 of nine career starts, broke down in the final turn and track officials said the horse had to be euthanized. Jockey Robby Albarado was not injured.
With probable favorite Colonel John scratched from the Big ‘Cap, Einstein went off at 5-1 in the wide-open, 13-horse field. The 2009 Santa Anita Handicap winner Einstein paid $12, $7 and $4.60. Champs Elysees returned $19.40 and $11.60, and Matto Mondo paid $5.20.
“The winner had a real good trip,” said jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., who rode Champs Elysees. “Even though I had a great trip, I think if the pace had been a little hotter, we would have had a better chance at the end. But take nothing away from the winner–his first time running on this stuff.”
Einstein has won 9 times, with 3 of his 6 turf victories in Grade I events. He showed his versatility last year on the dirt at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, when he won the Clark Handicap and finished second to two-time horse of the year Curlin in the Stephen Foster Handicap.
In the Santa Anita Handicap undercard, one of the probable Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby contenders Stardom Bound earned her fifth consecutive Grade I victory by a nose in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks.
Breaking last in the 9-horse Santa Anita Oaks field, Stardom Bound inched ahead of 35-1 longshot Third Dawn on her final jump and survived a rough trip and won a 4-horse photo finish covering 1 1/4 miles in 1:43.62.
Sent off at 2-5, Stardom Bound paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10. Third Dawn returned $12.40 and $7.20 and the show payoff on third placer Hooh Why was $5.
Tags: Blue Exit, Cause, Champs Elysees, Colonel John, Court Vision, Cowboy Cal, Dansant, Einstein, Heroi do Bafra, Magnum, Matto Mondo, Monba, Stardom Bound, Stream Cat, Zambezi Sun
"Einstein & Stardom Bound Winners on Santa Anita Handicap Day March 7" was posted on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 at 10:39 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Santa Anita Track, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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