Double Wedge, Davis Team to Win Ramona

Bobby Frankel thinks he’s found the key to Double Wedge. Simply pair her with Robbie Davis.

Ridden four times by Davis this year, the 5-year-old Northern Baby mare has two victories, a second when she was beaten by three-quarters of a length and a third, when she fell a head short.

The latest success came Saturday when Double Wedge ran down Reluctant Guest in the final sixteenth to score a $17.80 upset in the $270,500 Ramona Handicap.

This was the second Grade I victory in the last three outings for Double Wedge, who is owned by Edmund Gann. The $158,000 prize boosted her earnings to $405,522.

It was also a welcome pleasure for Davis, who hasn’t had a Del Mar to remember. He injured his back pulling up a horse July 30, was inactive the next two weeks and the victory was only his second from 47 opportunities.

“It’s a sweet race to win,” he said after Double Wedge completed the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:49 and won by nearly a length. “Being the second win of the meet is especially sweet.

“I got lucky. Originally, Reluctant Guest (who he had ridden to wins in the Beverly Hills and Wilshire at Hollywood Park) wasn’t supposed to go in this race, so I took a call on this horse, then Reluctant Guest went in at the last minute.

“I thought she was the horse to beat, so I just followed her. I had dead aim on her stretch, but I had to wait a little to get out. This does a lot for my confidence. The competition is so tough here, it’s tough to be out one week, let alone two. I went to a therapist for my back and I still go twice a week. I stretch 20 minutes every morning.”

Frankel, who picked up his sixth victory of the meeting, had much more to say after the Ramona than he did before.

“Robbie was looking for me to give him some instructions, but I wouldn’t do it,” he said. “This race was too confusing for me. I told him he was on his own. I just told him to ride his race.

“She’s had excuses in several of her races this year. Last time (when fourth as the 5-2 favorite in the Beverly Hills Handicap), it rained the night before and she couldn’t get a hold of the course. When she got beat by Brown Bess (March 31 in the Santa Barbara), she had a lot of trouble and was much the best. I’m not sure what’s next. Maybe, the Beverly D. in Chicago.”

Kent Desormeaux had no excuses for Reluctant Guest, the 3-1 second choice, who was three lengths better than Nikishka, who beat Stylish Star by a nose for the show.

Bidding for her third consecutive stakes win, Reluctant Guest got the lead with an eighth of a mile to go, but couldn’t hold off Double Wedge.

“I thought I was home,” Desormeaux said. “It took a nice one to get me from there. She just cruised when I asked her. She just plain cooked.”

Brown Bess’ performance in the Ramona validated what many already thought. The 8-year-old Petrone mare, who won the 1989 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top female grass performer, has lost a step or two. She finished fifth as the 122-pound highweight and 2-1 favorite in a race she won last year.

“She was laying good, right where I wanted to be,” Jack Kaenel said. “She’s spotting these nice fillies too much weight. She carried 117 last year, 122 today.”

Richard Mandella had to settle for second in the Ramona with Reluctant Guest, but he had the day’s most impressive winner.

Making the second start of her life, Centennial Time, a 3-year-old Storm Bird filly, beat maidens by 12 lengths in the fourth race, completing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14 4/5.

With Desormeaux along for the ride, the even-money favorite drew clear immediately, set some amazing fractions (21 2/5, 43 2/5 and 1:08 1/5) and kept coming away.

Owned by John Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm, Centennial Time was a troubled fourth in her debut July 29, but returned with a 59 2/5 work over the track last Monday.

Very well-regarded last winter at Santa Anita, Centennial Time came up with some problems and never started. “Everyone who’s been around her has liked her,” Mandella said. “The first time she ran, she was scared and green. She was pretty impressive today.

“The problem has been getting her to cooperate and relax. She just wants to take off and run. We’ve been working at trying to get her to relax and go on.”

Companion, who finished next-to-last in the Eddie Read Handicap a week ago, aggravated a tendon injury and has been retired.

A 5-year-old bred in Argentina, Companion bowed a tendon in his American debut early last year and was off for some 15 months. Unbeaten in four starts in South America, the Allen Paulson-owned horse had a win--in the Wickerr Handicap July 29--and a second in four starts in the United States.

“He re-injured the tendon,” said Alex Hassinger, assistant to trainer Richard Lundy. “We’re looking for a nice home for him to stand stud.”

Horse Racing Notes

Double Wedge has five victories from 22 lifetime starts. . . . Kent Desormeaux and Alex Solis both had two wins Saturday. In addition to Centennial Time, Desormeaux won the first with favored Conflictofinterest and Solis won with Officer’s Choice in the third and John’s Revenge in the ninth.

A field of 10 is set for today’s $300,000 Del Mar Derby, which will be run at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. From the rail out, the field includes Aksar, Super Abound, Music Prospector, Itsallgreektome, Predecessor, In Excess, who will be adding Lasix; Mehmetori, Pro For Sure and the Ron McAnally entry of Tight Spot and Silver Ending. Aksar and In Excess will also run coupled.