Bienamado Wins, May Head for Dubai

It was a case of like father, like son in the $150,000 San Marcos Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Seven years after his sire, Bien Bien, won the Grade II race, heavily favored Bienamado did what he was supposed to do, leading his six opponents from wire to wire and winning in 2:02 3/5 for the 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Able to set a ridiculously slow pace--he went 24 3/5, 50 3/5 and 1:15 3/5 for the first six furlongs--the 2-5 favorite stormed home with a 23-second final quarter to beat a troubled Kerrygold, the second-longest shot in the field at nearly 30-1, by 1 1/2 lengths.

Giving jockey Chris McCarron his second stakes win of the afternoon, Bienamado won for the sixth time in 12 starts. Owned by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan and trained by Paco Gonzalez, the 5-year-old has won four of six in the United States.

Although nothing has been decided, the chestnut could be taking a trip for his next start. He could be headed to Dubai for one of two $2-million races--the Dubai Duty Free or Dubai Sheema Classic on March 24.

“I think we’re going to take a hard look at Dubai and maybe train up to it,” said Toffan. “I think Paco might want to train up to it if we go rather than run in a race beforehand.”

McCarron has 220 stakes victories at Santa Anita, third behind Bill Shoemaker (260) and Laffit Pincay Jr. (244) on the all-time list. This was his third score in the San Marcos, but first since he won with Silveyville in 1986.

“On top of all the talent he has, he’s very, very generous,” McCarron said of Bienamado. “He loves to run. I let him break, run out of there about a hundred yards and I looked over and saw that Eddie [Delahoussaye, the rider on projected pacesetter Self Feeder] had a hold of his horse, so I allowed Bienamado to place himself in front.”

Kerrygold, who was blocked along the inside entering the stretch, finally got clear and was able to outfinish 7-1 third choice Northern Quest by three-quarters of a length for second.

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Making her first start since June 18, Golden Ballet picked up where she left off for trainer Jenine Sahadi.

An eight-length winner of the Cinderella Stakes at Hollywood Park in her final race as a 2-year-old, the daughter of Moscow Ballet filly won almost as decisively Saturday at Santa Anita.

The 11-10 favorite in the $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes, Golden Ballet took the lead shortly after the start and went on to win by seven lengths under McCarron in 1:22 1/5 for the seven furlongs.

This was the third victory in six starts for the California-bred, who was purchased before her Cinderella win by a partnership that includes Barry Irwin and Jeff Siegel’s Team Valor.

“I’m so proud of this filly,” said Sahadi. “I’m really happy and pleased that she won. I was a little uncertain coming into the race, coming off a long layoff, but it worked out well. She only had one seven-eighths workout in her and that’s what I was worried about. I was just hoping she would outclass the field and she did.”

Affluent, a 21-1 shot, outfinished another 21-1 shot, Warren’s Whistle, by a head for the place. Always The Lady, the 3-1 second choice, checked in ninth and last.

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Looking for her second graded stakes win of the meet, Spain is the even-money favorite against only four opponents in the $150,000 El Encino Stakes today at Santa Anita.

Trained by Wayne Lukas for Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation, the 4-year-old Thunder Gulch filly won the seven-furlong La Brea Handicap on Dec. 30 and has won five of nine since coming under Lukas’ care. One of those victories was a 55-1 shocker in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

The 6-5 second choice is Chilukki, who was the beaten favorite when fourth in the La Brea. Owned by Bob and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable and trained by Bob Baffert, Chilukki will be trying two turns for the first time since she finished eighth in the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 11.

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Second to Point Given, arguably the country’s top 3-year-old, in last month’s Hollywood Futurity, Millennium Wind is the even-money favorite in the $100,000-added Santa Catalina Stakes.

A $1.2 million yearling purchase by David and Jill Heerensperger and trained by Dave Hofmans, Millennium Wind broke his maiden at first asking going seven furlongs, then was beaten a length by Point Given while seven clear of the rest of the field in the Futurity. McCarron will again ride the son of Cryptoclearance.

Notes

Radical Riley, a 15-1 shot, rallied along the rail to edge 7-2 fourth choice Buckle Down Ben by a head to win the $100,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Jim Hatchett for the Jacks or Better Farm, Inc., Radical Riley was ridden by Eduardo Nunez and completed the 1 1/16 miles over a good track in 1:46. Master Planner, who entered unbeaten in two starts and the 2-1 favorite, finished fourth in the field of eight 3-year-olds. . . . With his victory aboard favored Eric’s Toy in Saturday’s first race, jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. now has had at least one win the last 10 days he has ridden at Santa Anita.