Valenzuela Wins at Del Mar on Last Command

Patrick Valenzuela has no complaints over the recent fate that put him aboard the stakes-winning horses Monday and Wednesday at Del Mar.

Monday, the 22-year-old jockey from a family rich in riding tradition, replaced the injured Bill Shoemaker on Arewehavingfunyet and won the Sorrento Stakes. Wednesday, Valenzuela got the call on Last Command, a Midwestern horse. The results were the same.

Last Command, a 4-year-old gelding bred in Kentucky, won the $54,550 Cabrillo Handicap by 1 lengths over Executive Pride and Iron Leader, which were a head apart. Last Command covered the Crosby Course, 120 feet less than 1 miles, in 1:58 1/5.

“It’s the first time I’ve been on him,” Valenzuela said. “Warren (Stute, Last Command’s trainer) said he worked that 1:38 4/5 mile awful easy and said he could run all day. When he put away Prince Florimund in the stretch, he really accelerated.”

The Cabrillo was Valenzuela’s fourth stakes victory of the meeting, giving him the Del Mar lead.

Last Command’s win was worth $32,050 to owners James Kerr Jr., James R. Kerr and William Kerr. The chestnut gelding by Bold Commander and Miss Hitting Away paid $14.60, $6.80 and $4.40. Executive Pride paid $4.40 and $3.20. Iron Leader paid $4.20 to show.