Florida Kind to Cash Run

If nothing else, Cash Run is extremely fond of Gulfstream Park.

More than three months after she scored the biggest win of her career in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the daughter of Seeking The Gold returned to Florida and easily won the $100,000 Davona Dale Stakes.

Defeated in two starts in Kentucky and California since her 32-1 upset in the Breeders’ Cup, Cash Run, the 2-1 second choice Sunday, added to what was a productive weekend for trainer Wayne Lukas.

A day after winning the Fair Grounds’ version of the Davona Dale with 28-1 shot Shawnee Country and the Fountain Of Youth at Gulfstream Park with favored High Yield, Lukas also won the $125,000 Risen Star Stakes Sunday in Louisiana with Exchange Rate.

Cash Run, ridden by Jerry Bailey for Satish Sanan’s Padua Stables, cruised home by seven lengths over 9-2 shot Regally Appealing and covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:40 1/5.

“This is a very underrated filly,” Lukas said. “I was disappointed in her fourth [as the 9-10 choice in the Santa Ynez on Jan. 23 at Santa Anita], but the next day she came down with a slight temperature and I think maybe that affected her during the race.”

Exchange Rate’s victory in Louisiana came 18 days after making a successful 3-year-old debut in a turf sprint at Santa Anita. With Corey Nakatani riding, the gray son of Danzig had to withstand a claim of foul by Shane Sellers, the rider of runner-up Mighty, but the stewards let the result stand.

In winning by a little more than a length, Exchange Rate, the 8-5 favorite, completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 1/5. Mighty, the 17-10 second choice, finished a nose in front of Ifitstobeitsuptome.

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Show Me The Stage won for the 12th time in 22 starts and improved to four for four on wet tracks with an impressive victory over Theresa’s Tizzy and four other fillies and mares in the $132,400 Las Flores Handicap at Santa Anita.

The only surprise about the Grade III was that the 4-year-old Slew The Surgeon filly was favored. It was the first time since the Black Gold Handicap on Jan. 10, 1999 at the Fair Grounds that she was the betting choice in one of her winning races. There had been five victories in between.

Show Me The Stage, who was 7-5, went to the front shortly after the start under Kent Desormeaux and went on to win by three lengths in 1:08 2/5 for the six furlongs on a sloppy surface. This was her third win in a row, two of which have come in Arcadia. She won the Monrovia Handicap on Dec. 31.

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Dark Moondancer, who was second in the San Marcos Handicap last month in his first race in California, is the 3-5 favorite in the $200,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap today at Santa Anita.

In a race that will be run over a soggy turf course--if it is run on the grass--Dark Moondancer, who is owned by Charles Cella and trained by Ron McAnally, will be seeking his eighth win in 17 starts. Chris McCarron will again be aboard the 5-year-old, who won on soft and yielding grass in Europe.

Completing the field in the 1 1/2-mile race, which is a Grade II, are Casino King, The Fly, Bottle Of Rum and Astra Ridge.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Kent Desormeaux’s win on Show Me The Stage gave him three stakes wins in a row at Santa Anita. He had captured the San Marino Handicap with Majorien and the Boo La Boo Stakes with Cover Gal on Saturday. He leads all jockeys at the current meet with six stakes triumphs. . . . Trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Felipe Martinez teamed for two longshot winners, taking the fifth with Manly Valentine ($47.60) and the ninth with Turco ($35.80). . . . Trainer Mike Puype picked up his first win since Nov. 14 when Cobrina won the second. . . . Jockey Laffit Pincay had a pair of victories, taking the first with Wine With Pride and the third with Trying Ty.