Favored Rich Earth Wins 3-Way Battle in $40,000 Turf Feature at Santa Anita

Favored Rich Earth edged Days Gone By and Sword Charger in a 3-way stretch battle to win the $40,000 turf feature Thursday before 13,471 at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting.

Rich Earth, who was sixth at the three-quarters mark, finished a nose ahead of Days Gone By, with Sword Charger another half length back.

Ridden by Chris McCarron, Rich Earth covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5. The 6-year-old, who is owned by Jack Kent Cooke and trained by Ron McAnally, returned $5.80, $3 and $2.20.

A winner of 9 races in 28 starts, Rich Earth collected first prize of $22,000 to increase his earnings to $315,825.

Days Gone By, with Eddie Delahoussaye, returned $3.20 and $2.40. Sword Charger paid $2.80.

Patrick Valenzuela rode 4 winners to increase his lead in the jockey standings to 32-22 over Gary Stevens with 9 days left in the meeting. Valenzuela won with Designing Charles in the third race, Power Forward in the fifth, Native Paster in the seventh and Halo Hatch in the ninth.

Native Paster’s victory in 1:09 equaled the fastest 6 furlongs of the meeting.