McCarron’s Win ‘Golden’

Remaining in California on the day of a Triple Crown race was again fruitful for jockey Chris McCarron.

Two weeks ago, McCarron won the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap with Futural on the afternoon hours after Monarchos won the Kentucky Derby.

On Saturday, after Point Given had redeemed himself in the Preakness, McCarron did the expected in the $150,000 Railbird at Hollywood Park, winning with 1-10 favorite Golden Ballet.

Despite bobbling at the break, Golden Ballet--a 3-year-old daughter of Moscow Ballet--took the lead immediately, easily turned back a challenge from 20-1 shot Pretty ‘N Smart, and cruised to a four-length win in 1:21 2/5 for the seven furlongs.

Rebounding from her upset loss in the Ashland Stakes last month at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., Golden Ballet won for the sixth time in 10 starts and has now won five of six since being purchased privately by Barry Irwin and Jeff Siegel’s Team Valor and Bill Heiligbrodt last spring.

Starrer, the 10-1 third choice, finished second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Pretty ‘N Smart, then came Warren’s Whistle, Carson City Red and Icansoiwill. Ruffena was scratched off the program earlier in the day.

On the 37th anniversary of his first career victory, jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. added to his record total with a win aboard heavily favored Fertile in the $86,250 Nursery Stakes.

Fertile, the 2-5 favorite while coupled in the betting with My Aim Is True, finished strongly after being outrun early and won by 3 1/2 lengths over 3-1 second choice Georgia’s Storm.

Trained by Jeff Bonde, who owns the filly in partnership with Angelo Ferro and Michael Rovner, Fertile has won both races in a career that began with a 2 1/2-length win on April 27 at Hollywood Park. Fertile, a Lite The Fuse filly purchased for $97,000 earlier this year in Florida, completed the five furlongs in the Nursery in 57 4/5.

Georgia’s Storm, who had a length lead a furlong from the finish, wound up one length ahead of Asian Adventure, the longest shot in the field at 20-1. My Aim Is True, the early pacesetter, finished last. Britetonzmyday was scratched when she acted up at the starting gate.

Pincay, whose first victory came aboard Huelen at Presidente Remon in Panama on May 19, 1964, rode two other winners, taking the fifth with 17-1 shot Charm Alone and the sixth with High Noon Meeting. He has 9,144 victories.

Jockey Jason Lumpkins won six races at Bay Meadows in San Mateo.

Marine, the beaten favorite in the Will Rogers on Hollywood Park’s opening twilight program, is the 5-2 morning line choice in today’s $100,000-added Cinema Handicap.

Media Mogul, the dead-heat winner of the Rogers, is the 3-1 second choice. From the inside out, the rest of the field includes Macabe, Learing At Kathy, Sligo Bay, Sigfreto and Resolve.