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 races.Georgie Boy Wins San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Posted on Saturday, March 15th, 2008
Racing beyond a sprint distance for the first time, multiple graded-stakes winner Georgie Boy expanded his 2008 Kentucky Derby Triple Crown prospects Saturday with a gritty 3/4 length victory over Gayego at 1 1/16 miles in Santa Anita Park’s 71st running of the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds.
The final time was 1:42.35 as the first three finishers, all routing for the first time, crossed the finish within 1 3/4 lengths of one another as pace-setter Bob Black Jack saved third in the field of nine.
With Michael Baze replacing injured Rafael Bejarano aboard Georgie Boy, the California-bred gelding tracked Bob Black Jack and Gayego through relatively moderate fractions (24.24, 48.75 and 1:13.02) considering the blazing speed they had demonstrated in sprints.
Jockey Michael Baze, boxed behind the first two turning into the stretch, had to wait to find room. When he did, Georgie Boy split horses, came around Gayego and finished with a flurry.
As the 7-5 favorite, Georgie Boy paid $4.80, $3.20 and $2.60. Gayego, ridden by Mike Smith, paid $4.60 and $3.40. The show price on Bob Black Jack, with David Flores aboard, was $3.
Michael Baze had not been atop Georgie Boy since a third-place finish in his maiden debut at Hollywood Park last June 16 for owner-breeder George Schwary and trainer Kathy Walsh.
“He’s matured dramatically since the last time I rode him,” said the 20-year-old jockey. “Around the turn, I just had to wait, wait, wait, and, at the top of the lane, I was able to swing out and say ‘goodbye.’
“He really impressed me more after we hit the wire. I had a harder time pulling him up than I did during the race. I didn’t get him pulled up until the five-eighths pole.”
Walsh said future plans have not been finalized for the son of Tribal Rule whose previous two victories had come in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity and Grade II San Vicente at seven furlongs. The San Felipe’s winning purse of $120,000 raised his earnings to $496,806 from an overall record of 4-2-1 in seven starts.
The trainer, who celebrates her 68th birthday on Tuesday, discussed the eleventh-hour selection of Baze to ride Georgie Boy. Bejarano, Santa Anita’s leading rider, had sustained two cracked vertebrae in his neck Thursday when his mount in the final race fell when suffering an apparent heart attack and is expected to be sidelined for three-to-four weeks…
“George (Schwary) and I talked it over and it came down to a choice between Victor Espinoza and Michael,” she said. “They’re both great, fine riders. We just leaned toward the fact that Michael got on this horse for me quite a bit last spring and got to ride him once.”
In the earlier Pasadena Stakes, 8-1 outsider Polonius captured the $80,500 event for 3-year-olds at one-mile on turf while going wire-to-wire under jockey Jon Court and never being seriously challenged. He crossed the wire four lengths ahead of runner-up Ez Dreamer while covering the distance in 1:34.12. Afleet Ruler finished third in the field of nine.
It was only the third start and second victory for the $150,000 purchase owned by B. J. Wright and trained by Michael Pender. He paid $19.80 for the victory while banking $48,300 to increase his earnings to $79,020.
"Georgie Boy Wins San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park" was posted on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 at 8:41 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, 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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