Running Stag Keeps Moving Up the Ranks

Running Stag, a close second to Behrens in the 1999 Massachusetts Handicap, took full advantage of that one’s absence in this year’s renewal of the $600,000 race Saturday at Suffolk Downs.

Winning for the second time in as many races in 2000 for owner Richard Cohen and trainer Philip Mitchell, Running Stag--a 6-year-old--took over from pacesetter David in the stretch, then went on under jockey John Velasquez to beat Out Of Mind by a little more than a length in 1:49 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Running Stag was the 8-5 favorite in an eight-horse field that was weakened when the defending champion Behrens was scratched because of a bruised left foot. Running Stag won for the seventh time in 37 starts, and the $400,000 for the first-place finish pushed his earnings to $1,578,036.

“There’s nothing like going out to the scene of a defeat and putting it right,” Mitchell said. “This guy has gone through everything. He was a late-developing horse and now he’s gone from a corporal to a general.

“I thought from the day I bought him that he was very special. In all the years I’ve been around horses, you get a gut feeling. He’s done everything that I thought he would do in his early days. Who knows where this guy can go.”

Out Of Mind, a winner of consecutive starts at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park for trainer Richard Mandella, rallied from last to be second under Eddie Delahoussaye. He finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of David, then came Vision And Verse, Gander, Makeyourselfathome, Pleasant Breeze and The Groom Is Red.

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Heritage Of Gold staked her claim as the best older filly or mare in the country when she defeated Silverbulletday again in the $324,600 Fleur De Lis at Churchill Downs.

Heritage Of God, a winner of all four of her previous races this year for owner Jack Garey and trainer Tom Amoss, tracked the pace set by Silverbulletday, who has lost two of three in 2000, then took command in the final furlong to win by four lengths. She completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5.

“I ranged up to [Silverbulletday] and he [Corey Nakatani] was riding his filly [hard] and I was just sitting on mine,” winning rider Shane Sellers said. “She just left them. This was no fluke today.”

Heritage Of Gold, a 5-year-old, has won 14 of 22 races. The Fleur De Lis victory as the 9-10 favorite increased her earnings to $1,721,387.

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In one sense, the expected happened in the $107,100 Los Angeles Handicap at Hollywood Park.

A shipper from North California won the Grade III race, but it wasn’t heavily favored Mr. Doubledown.

Rather, Highland Gold, a 9-1 shot, rallied from off the pace, then withstood an inquiry, to beat 11-1 shot Mellow Fellow by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:09 for the six furlongs.

Highland Gold is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who also owns the 5-year-old horse in partnership with George Todaro. Highland Gold won for the sixth time in 16 races. Chris McCarron was aboard the winner and has a meet-high six stakes victories.

Mr. Doubledown, who was favored on the strength of his victory in last month’s Oakland Handicap at Golden Gate Fields, faded to fourth after being outrun for the early lead by Dan’s Groovy, the longshot in the field of six at 21-1.

Notes

Happyanunoit, who was beaten by Caffe Latte in her 2000 debut in the Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita on April 23, is the 6-5 favorite in the $250,000-added Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap today at Hollywood Park. Going against Happyanunoit in the Grade I race will be Caffe Latte, Tout Charmant, Astra and Sweet Ludy. . . . La Feminn, the 3-10 favorite, remained unbeaten in five races, winning the $98,000 Alcatraz Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. The 4-year-old Memo filly ran the half-mile in a fast 44 1/5, and kept on going en route to an eight-length victory in 1:34 2/5 for the mile. . . . Jockey Garrett Gomez rode three winners Saturday at Hollywood Park.