DEL MAR : Bountiful Native Finds Room

Even though those who bet Bountiful Native in the $109,900 Rancho Bernardo Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Saturday might have been worried early in the stretch, Pat Valenzuela wasn’t.

Those who made the 4-year-old Pirate’s Bounty filly the 3-1 second choice probably didn’t think she was ever going to find room behind a wall of fillies and mares.

Valenzuela, Bountiful Native’s most frequent companion, knew a hole would develop.

Once she found room, owner Martin Wygod’s California bred did the rest, running down Devil’s Orchid in the closing yards to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:15 1/5 for the 6 1/2 furlongs.

It was the second victory of the meeting for Bountiful Native and her eighth in 18 starts. In her last six main-track sprints, she has four victories and two seconds.

“I wasn’t worried. I really wasn’t,” Valenzuela said. “I knew I’d get there. She has such a great kick. I was just waiting, waiting, waiting. I knew the ones up front were going to stop, and I only needed a little spread from them. I got it, then she did what I knew she would. She just smoked in from there.”

Nor was trainer Dan Hendricks overly concerned when Bountiful Native had nowhere to go.

“Her best races have always been when she was trapped,” he said. “She was trapped all the way to the three-sixteenths, maybe the eighth pole. She has the speed that all she needs is a little room to get out.

“She loves to be covered up. If she’s covered up, she runs her best races.”

Devil’s Orchid, who wasn’t helped by her inside post position, finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of stablemate and 17-10 favorite She’s Tops. Wicked Wit was fourth. Then came Streamer, Forest Fealty, Brazen, Glen Kate and D’Or Ruckus.

“I struggled to get her back early. Then I had to go wide all the way,” said Kent Desormeaux of the favorite. “They were all around me and I couldn’t get her covered up. The pace wasn’t quick enough, and I had to give up too much ground. It wasn’t her day.”

Gary Stevens was in need of a boost when he returned from Saratoga after favored Quest For Fame finished out of the money in the Sword Dancer Aug. 8.

The same day, Gilded Time, a 2-year-old Stevens had ridden in his impressive debut, had won the Sapling at Monmouth Park under Chris McCarron. Stevens had given a commitment to ride Quest For Fame, so McCarron picked up the mount on Gilded Time.

“My chin was hanging down when I came back from New York,” Stevens said. “My agent (Ron Anderson) said, ‘Don’t worry. I have one (a 2-year-old) that might be better.’ ”

After he worked Seattle Sleet on Aug. 12, Stevens’ chin was back up, and he was even more enthused after the Seattle Slew colt’s debut Saturday.

Owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, Seattle Sleet led nearly every step of the way and beat another promising youngster, River Special, in the sixth race by a half-length in a quick 1:09 for the six furlongs.

“(Gilded Time) is so fast, he’s questionable (going a distance), but I think he will because he relaxes so well,” Stevens said. “This colt I rode today, I know he’s going to go long. In fact, the farther he goes the better he’s going to like it.

“Usually, the thing you have to worry about with the Seattle Slews is their temperament, but he acts like he’s done it all before.

“After I worked this horse (five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 from the gate), I saw Chris (McCarron). He was looking, because he had worked this horse, too, and I told him ‘It (Seattle Sleet for Gilded Time) was a fair trade.’ ”

Claimed for $32,000 Feb. 28, Sondheimer rallied from last to upset heavily favored J.F. Williams and win the $62,150 Real Good Deal Stakes on Saturday.

This was the seventh victory in 19 starts for Sondheimer, a 3-year-old Native Prospector colt. The Real Good Deal was the second victory in nine starts for Sondheimer since he was claimed by trainer Mike Orman.

Making his first start for trainer Ron McAnally, who took over from Bob Hess, Jr., J.F. Williams broke a step slowly--which is something he has done before--from the rail, but instead of moving to the lead in a race that lacked any other front-runners, jockey Kent Desormeaux opted to take the Broad Brush colt outside, and he wound up being four-wide in a five-horse field most of the way.

Perfect in his first three starts, J.F. Williams got the lead at the top of the stretch but couldn’t hold off Sondheimer and Stevens and was beaten by a half-length in 1:21 3/5 for the seven furlongs.

Prospect For Four was third, three-quarters of a length behind J.F. Williams. Then came Never Round, the 4-1 second choice, and Don’s Terry.

Bruho, the defending champion, is among 12 horses scheduled to run in the $100,000-added Pat O’Brien Breeders’ Cup Handicap at seven furlongs today.

After beating Burn Annie and Due To The King in last year’s O’Brien, Bruho went to the sidelines because of a broken splint bone and a torn suspensory ligament and didn’t return until Aug. 1. He finished fourth in an allowance sprint at six furlongs.

David Flores replaces Valenzuela on the 6-year-old Naevus gelding, who is 8-1 on the morning line.

Valenzuela will be aboard the 3-1 favorite Three Peat, who is back after a three-race stay in New York. Winner of the Bay Shore and second in the Riva Ridge, the 3-year-old Magesterial gelding was disqualified and placed second after winning the Dwyer by a nose on July 5.

He has worked well for trainer John Sadler and will race with Lasix for the first time.

The rest of the field includes: Letthebighossroll, who draws the rail for the second consecutive time, Asia, Gervazy, Anjiz, Slerp, Dolly’s Fortune, Light Of Morn, Run On The Bank, Gundaghia and Repriced.

Horse Racing Notes

Sondheimer paid $20 to win and the victory was worth $35,150 to his owners. . . . Besides Sondheimer and Seattle Sleet, Gary Stevens also won with Bourgogne on Saturday. . . . There is a Pick Six carryover of more than $153,000 for today.