Ryafan Has to Wait for His Victory

The running of the race took about two minutes, then it took the three Santa Anita stewards 13 minutes to sort out the rough stuff in Sunday’s $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes.

“I’ve waited longer in England,” said trainer John Gosden, whose Ryafan won the race. “Over there they can never rustle up the stewards. Some of them get lost in the bar.”

Although Ryafan appeared blameless, Alex Solis, who rode her, got restless as the minutes ticked off.

“I didn’t think my filly did much,” Solis said. “I was [outside] of [Dance Design] and the other filly ducked in and I pulled out. I thought my filly ran very straight.”

The stewards made no change after Jerry Bailey, aboard Memories Of Silver, tried to find room on the rail, inside of Dance Design. Memories Of Silver bounced off the fence and Dance Design was knocked sideways.

Ryafan, the 5-2 second choice, beat Fanjica by 1 1/4 lengths and it was 1 1/2 lengths back to Memories Of Silver, the 19-10 favorite. Dance Design, who led until the eighth pole, was fading before the bumping incident occurred.

Bailey said he had room on the fence, but his may have been a minority opinion.

“It wasn’t a pleasant incident,” said Gosden, winning his first California race since he left here for his native England in 1989. “[Memories Of Silver] had no business going where she tried to go.”

Dermot Weld, who trains Dance Design, said a decision will be made today whether Dance Design runs Saturday in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Hollywood Park.

Ryafan’s sixth win in nine starts was worth $300,000 and increased her earnings to $926,353. The time for 1 1/4 miles on grass was 2:03 3/5.

Horse Racing Notes

In another stake at Santa Anita on Sunday, Lasting Approval--also ridden by Alex Solis--beat Voyagers Quest by one length in the $250,000 Oak Tree Derby. Lasting Approval is trained by Diane Perkins, who took out her license after her husband died in 1996. Peter Perkins owned Lord At War, ridden by Bill Shoemaker when they won the 1985 Santa Anita Handicap. Coincidentally, Shoemaker, having announced his retirement as a trainer, was honored in the winner’s circle minutes after Lasting Approval’s victory. “I’d like to thank the fans,” Shoemaker said. “You’re the reason why we’re here today. But I’m not leaving. I’ll still be here as a fan. I’ll be around to bug everybody.”