SANTA ANITA : Stevens Rides Likeable Style to Victory in the Las Virgenes

A little more than 24 hours after being involved in a nasty spill, Gary Stevens was feeling no pain at Santa Anita late Saturday afternoon.

“I feel like a million bucks,” he said after Likeable Style remained unbeaten with a three-length victory over Incindress in the $158,600 Las Virgenes Stakes.

Earlier in the week, Stevens predicted a third consecutive victory, and the 3-year-old Nijinsky II filly didn’t disappoint in her first start in a Grade I race.

Several lengths off the early pace and kept wide, the 9-10 favorite moved up to the leaders around the far turn, then took the lead early in the stretch and coasted home in 1:36 3/5 for the mile.

Nowhere to be found was Creaking Board, the 13-10 second choice and Hollywood Starlet winner. Making her first start since her eight-length victory in the Starlet on Dec. 19, the 123-pound highweight finished fifth in the field of six, beaten by nearly 13 lengths.

“She was never comfortable, not at all,” jockey Kent Desormeaux said. “She was done at the half-mile pole. She’s definitely better than that, so I’d have to say she was in distress.”

Likeable Style is improving with every start since surprising owners John and Betty Mabee and trainer Richard Mandella with a victory at six furlongs on Dec. 26, Santa Anita’s opening day.

“She looks as good or better than any filly I’ve ever had so far,” Mandella said. “She keeps working her way forward and doesn’t make any mistakes.

“The Santa Anita Oaks (March 7) and Kentucky Oaks are some of her main goals. We’re not thinking about (running her against males) yet. There are plenty of female races.

“When I first got her (last November at Hollywood Park), she was just average when I worked her up to five-eighths of a mile. It wasn’t until she went six furlongs that she showed she was something special. That extra eighth of a mile made all the difference, and she’s beat everybody since.”

Stevens, who drew comparisons to Winning Colors after riding Likeable Style for the first time, continues to be impressed.

“She just got in a high, steady gallop today,” he said. “She ran a real professional kind of a race. It was nothing real difficult for her. Midway on the backstretch, I was out kind of wide. There were two horses (Blue Moonlight and Incindress) up on the lead. If I let them stay where they’re at, with a neck advantage on me, I go into the turn six wide.

“I kicked her into gear, got a neck in front of them and was able to push them over behind the two pacesetters and I was only three wide. I was just sitting there with a handful of horse. When I asked her, she really responded. She knows what it’s all about.”

Incindress, the 8-1 third choice, was making her first start since winning the Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies in November. Her three-race winning streak ended, but her jockey Danny Sorenson was encouraged.

“Other than getting beat, I thought she ran one hell of a race,” Sorenson said. “She’d been off since (Nov. 7) and with the weather conditions, Bruce (Jackson) couldn’t train her exactly like he would have wanted.

“We had to run in a tough race, in open company, off of works, and a very talented filly beat us today. I’m sure we’ll hook up with her again soon.”

Blue Moonlight was third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Incindress, but five ahead of Booklore, the longest shot in the field at 25-1. Creaking Board and Passing Vice completed the order of finish.

Jovial, who has turned his career around at age 6, is the 8-5 favorite in today’s $271,250 San Antonio Handicap, the final prep for next month’s Santa Anita Handicap.

After being winless since 1990, the Northern Jove horse won by 4 1/2 lengths on New Year’s Day, then returned three weeks later to beat Best Pal in the San Pasqual Handicap.

Mickey Walls will again ride for Jackson. Jovial will carry 117 pounds, three less than 5-2 second choice Sir Beaufort.

Also a 6-year-old and winner of two in a row, Sir Beaufort hasn’t been worse than second in his last five starts. Chris McCarron will again be aboard the gray, who has won the Native Diver and San Carlos Handicaps in succession.

The other entrants are Marquetry (Eddie Delahoussaye, 5-1), Reign Road (David Flores, 6-1), Bucking Bird (Kent Desormeaux, 15-1), Tel Quel (Stevens, 4-1) and Major Launch (Alex Solis, 30-1). Major Launch was also entered in the San Luis Obispo Handicap on Monday.

Horse Racing Notes

Although he did not retract his statement from the day before about Santa Anita having the “worst main track in the United States right now,” jockey Gary Stevens wanted to clarify some of his comments Saturday. “I feel like I have a right to my opinion as far as the track condition is concerned, but I didn’t want it to sound like I was blaming (track superintendent) Steve Wood,” Stevens said. “I think he’s the best trackman in the country and I think he’s the most conscientious man for the job. The safety of the horses and jockeys is his main concern. I didn’t want it to seem like I was blaming him for the accident that happened yesterday.’ . . . Fax News and Corey Nakatani rallied to win the $56,150 Double Discount, the race before the Las Virgenes. . . . Kent Desormeaux rode two winners.