Stevens, Berillon Set Course Record in Escondido Victory

Trainer Bobby Frankel’s success on the Del Mar grass continued Friday when Berillon, an English-bred 4-year-old gelding with only one victory in five American starts, rallied for a 1 1/4-length victory in the $79,425 Escondido Handicap.

Berillon, ridden by Gary Stevens, was clocked in 2:12 4/5, which broke the track record for 1 3/8 miles. The record of 2:13 was set last year by Live the Dream in the Del Mar Handicap.

Earlier this season, Frankel won a division of the Palomar Handicap with Guiza. And a victory here by Filago, in his American debut, was so impressive that Frankel is running him Sunday against Izvestia and Forty Niner Days in the $250,000 Arlington Handicap.

Berillon paid $9.40 to win. Splendid Career finished second, two lengths in front of favored Rudy’s Fantasy.