Executive Row Gets Gryder, Proctor to Winner’s Circle in Stakes

The fact neither jockey Aaron Gryder nor trainer Harry Proctor had ever won a stakes race at Del Mar didn’t seem to bother a crowd of 14,705 that sent Executive Row off as the 4-5 favorite in the $60,000 Junior Miss Stakes Wednesday.

And it turned out to be the day for Gryder, Proctor and Executive Row, who pulled away to a 4 1/2-length victory, her second in three starts as a 2-year-old.

“This one finally got me home,” said Proctor, 35, who has been training horses for nearly 10 years but has had only two entered here in stakes company.

Sales Bulletin ran second in the 1983 Coronado and the 1985 Rancho Bernardo. Earn Your Stripes finished second in the 1985 El Cajon.

“I’ve been close,” Proctor said. “But now I’ve finally got a stakes winner here. It had been a long wait.”

For Gryder, 18, the wait hadn’t been nearly as long. But it was beginning to seem that way.

As Del Mar’s top apprentice last summer, Gryder won 18 races and finished in a tie for fifth in the jockey standings. Through this summer’s first two weeks, he won only three races. He had never won a stakes here.

“My horse just ran good,” Gryder said. “(Proctor) told me to try laying right behind the speed horses and come around them. She’s a very smart filly.”

Rugosa Rose and Duchess Greg were 1-2 into the turn, and Executive Row was third, a length back.

But when the front-runners moved away from the rail turning for home, Executive Row shot through.

Executive Row cruised down the stretch and finished the six furlongs in 1:10 4/5. She paid $3.80, $2.40 and $2.10. Duchess Greg hung on for second and returned $3 and $2.40. Grace In Motion paid $2.80 to show.