Naughty Rafaela is good in victory
Another year, another victory in the $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap for Bobby Frankel.
The Hall of Fame trainer won the Grade II stakes race for the fourth time in five years when Naughty Rafaela, the 5-2 second choice, ground out a one-length victory Saturday over 16-1 outsider Mabadi at Santa Anita.
The win was the fourth in 11 starts for the 5-year-old Royal Academy mare, who is owned by breeder T N T Stud. Ridden by David Flores, Naughty Rafaela, who has won two of six in the U.S., ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.12. The Santa Barbara was shortened to nine furlongs from 1 1/4 miles because of the rain on Friday and management chose not to have any turf races run over the dirt portion of the course.
Frankel, who won the Santa Barbara with Megahertz three years in a row (2003 to 2005), now has 11 stakes wins at the meet, one less than Doug O’Neill.
Two races later, Bonfante, the longest shot in the field at 6-1, defeated pacesetter Battle Won by a nose to win the $105,600 San Simeon Handicap. Only four started in the race, which was originally scheduled for about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf.
Aaron Gryder rode Bonfante, a 6-year-old Fruition gelding, to his 10th win in 23 starts. The final time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:14.59.
*
Slew’s Tizzy, a 40-1 longshot, led throughout to win the $325,000 Lexington at Keeneland.
Trained by Gregory Fox for owner-breeder Joseph Lacombe, the 3-year-old Tiznow colt won for the second time in three starts on Polytrack, running the 1 1/16 miles in the Grade III in 1:43.20. Robby Albarado rode Slew’s Tizzy, whose only other victory came versus maidens at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. on Jan. 13. Fox indicated Slew’s Tizzy is unlikely to return in the Kentucky Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs. Starbase, a 36-1 longshot, finished second.
*
Trainer Wesley Ward and Dennis Ward, his father and assistant trainer, have reached an agreement with the California Horse Racing Board in regards to a positive drug test for one of their horses last summer.
Denaeslittledevil, who was owned by Dennis Ward, tested positive for phentermine, which is an appetite suppressant in humans, after winning a race last July 1 at the Alameda County Fair.
As part of the agreement, Dennis Ward was put on probation for one year and suspended for 60 days.
Half of the suspension was stayed on the condition that he have no Class 1, 2 or 3 violations during the probation.
The 30-day suspension began Wednesday and will continue through May 17.
Wesley Ward was suspended for 60 days and fined $25,000 for the positive test, but the suspension was stayed provided there are no Class 1, 2 or 3 violations during his one-year probation.
The CHRB has also filed complaints against trainers Jerry Hollendorfer and Jorge Alcala.
Dixie Crisp, a horse trained by Hollendorfer who won on Feb. 19 at Bay Meadows, tested positive for scopolamine, a toxic agent found in jimson weed. Rapid Silver, a horse trained by Alcala who won on March 22 at Santa Anita, was found to exceed the level of permitted total carbon dioxide.