Marine Proves Too Tough, Caps Frankel’s Stakes Sweep

Although trainer Bobby Frankel may have had some doubts, Marine was fit enough to win the $83,475 La Puente Stakes in his first start of 2001 on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Making his first start since finishing fourth in the Generous Stakes Nov. 25 at Hollywood Park, Marine, a 9-2 shot, was outrun early, moved into contention while wide around the turn, got the lead in the stretch and went on to win by half a length in 1:35 1/5 for the mile on turf.

Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye for the Juddmonte Farms, the 3-year-old English-bred earned his third victory in nine lifetime starts and completed a stakes sweep for Frankel. Earlier in the day, the Hall of Famer finished 1-2 in the Providencia Stakes with Dynamous and Heads Will Roll.

“He can run a little bit,” Frankel said of Marine, who had raced seven times in England before coming to the United States. “I wasn’t sure if he was tight enough. He had a lot of steady works into him, but you’re off four months and you’re never sure if you’re fit enough.

“There wasn’t anything wrong with him, but he has improved a lot physically.”

River God, the 3-2 favorite and winner of his previous two races for trainer Richard Mandella, finished in a dead heat for second with 16-1 shot Media Mogul.

“We’ll have to try and get ‘em next time,” Mandella said. “He made a nice run, but he probably wants more distance.”

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Winning for the second time in three starts, Dynamous, a 9-2 shot, defeated stablemate and 9-10 favorite Heads Will Roll by half a length in the $81,975 Providencia.

The result should have been different. Making her second U.S. start, Heads Will Roll, who had finished second to stablemate Fantastic Filly in the Some Sensation three weeks earlier, had a troubled trip.

Dynamous, a daughter of Dynaformer who is owned and bred by Dr. John Chandler, took advantage of the runner-up’s bad luck to win for the second time in three starts. She completed the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:50 under jockey Victor Espinoza.

“Victor has been riding this filly, so he knows how to ride her,” Frankel said after his first Providencia victory. “The filly who was second probably should have won. She had a terrible trip. [Jockey] Alex [Solis] said she should have galloped.”

Espinoza had clear sailing. The winner was taken wide around the turn and got the lead with about a furlong to run.

“We had the best trip and she did everything right,” he said. “I knew the filly to beat was still on the inside of me, so I didn’t want to move too soon and let her get a chance to go to the outside. I just waited for a second, and when it was time to go, we went.”

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It will be a major surprise if Kona Gold does not win his sixth consecutive race in the $200,000 Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap today at Santa Anita.

The top sprinter in the country and the defending Eclipse award champion, the 7-year-old gelding is the 1-5 morning-line choice against three rivals as he tries to defend his title in the Grade II at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Trained by Bruce Headley, Kona Gold hasn’t lost since losing by a nose to Son Of A Pistol in the San Carlos Handicap over a year ago. Since then, he has won the Potrero Grande, the Bing Crosby Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Del Mar, the Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Oak Tree, the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs and the San Carlos Handicap at Santa Anita last month.

The 126-pound highweight, who will be ridden by Solis, could come back in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Handicap on May 5, the day of the Kentucky Derby.

Two of Kona Gold’s opponents today are coming off victories. Explicit is fresh off an 8 1/2-length win at Gulfstream Park on March 10 and Romanzo won an allowance race at Golden Gate Fields in January. Before that, he had broken his maiden in his second career start last Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.

The other participant--and longest shot in the field at 8-1--is Hollycombe. The 7-year-old Capote horse is returning to his preferred surface after consecutive starts on the turf. He has won five of eight on dirt for trainer Paco Gonzalez.

Notes

With 74 stakes wins, Bobby Frankel is now alone in fourth on Santa Anita’s all-time list behind Charlie Whittingham, Wayne Lukas and Ron McAnally. Frankel went into Saturday tied with Gary Jones. . . . Crafty C.T., almost certain to be the second choice behind Point Given in Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, worked a mile in 1:41 Saturday morning for trainer Howard Zucker. . . . Early Flyer, another Derby possible, went seven furlongs in 1:25 3/5 for McAnally. . . . The local jockey colony will be hosting a barbecue for backside employees and their families Tuesday afternoon in the Santa Anita infield. . . . Blade Prospector ($6.60) led virtually every step of the way to win the $100,000 Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. Omar Berrio rode the winner for trainer A.C. Avila. Dixie Dot Com, the even-money favorite, was second and Mil Wood was third.