Delahoussaye Wins Twiceat Keeneland

When Eddie Delahoussaye goes out of town to ride, it is best for bettors to pay attention.

The Hall of Fame jockey picks his spots to travel, so it was easy to assume he was on some very live mounts Saturday at Keeneland.

Under some patient handling and in classic Delahoussaye fashion, the rider won two stakes in Kentucky, including the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup under 6-1 shot Affluent.

One of four California shippers in the Grade 1, Affluent, who is trained by Ron McAnally for owner-breeder Janis Whitham, outfinished 3-1 second choice Golden Apples by a neck to win in 1:50 for the 11/8 miles on a turf course labeled good after it rained Friday.

A daughter of Affirmed, Affluent won for the fourth time in 10 starts and has won two of three on turf. She turned the tables on Golden Apples, who had beaten her by a length when winning the Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 18.

“It was a nice win,” said Delahoussaye, who had won the $84,825 Franklin Stakes by a nose earlier on 17-10 favorite Deeliteful Irving. “Ron is a great client. This filly runs better from behind and she got that kind of scenario today. She tried real hard.

“Ron asked me to come and ride this filly. I’ve been riding her in California and I said, ‘How can I refuse?”’

Golden Apples and jockey Garrett Gomez, finished a bit more than two lengths in front of 6-1 shot and pacesetter Snow Dance. Voodoo Dancer, the 17-10 favorite who was ridden by Corey Nakatani, wound up seventh in the field of 10.

It is becoming a weekend ritual.

Every Saturday or Sunday, trainer Bobby Frankel wins a graded stakes race somewhere in the country.

If it’s not true, it certainly seems that way after the nation’s hottest trainer picked up another when 5-1 shot No Slip won a thrilling $150,000 Oak Tree Derby Saturday at Santa Anita.

Owned by John Amerman, the 3-year-old French bred won for the second time in as many U.S. starts, beating 6-1 shot Sligo Bay by a nose in 1:462/5 for the 11/8 miles on turf.

A winner of one of four in his native land before coming to this country during the summer, No Slip rallied widest of all under jockey Kent Desormeaux to capture the Grade II.

“The race set up very nice,” said Desormeaux. “I was hoping they would go slow and I knew that would put me in prime position to outkick ‘em coming home. My horse did everything I asked him.”

Romanceishope, the 8-5 favorite, was third--a neck behind Sligo Bay. Startac, the 2-1 second choice, disappointed in his first race since winning the Secretariat Handicap at Arlington International on Aug. 18.

In his first start for trainer Laura De Seroux, the son of Theatrical was well-positioned throughout by Alex Solis but came up empty in the stretch and checked in sixth of nine.

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Favored Sharp Performance made it four wins in six starts on turf with a 41/4-length victory over 19-10 second choice Tiger Trap and four others in the $150,000 Lawrence Realization Handicap on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Trained by David Donk for William Bloom, John Behrendt and Charles Marquis, the 3-year-old Kris S. colt completed the 11/2 miles on turf in 2:27. John Velasquez rode the winner, who has been third in his two losses.

“I always felt that his best distance would be 11/4 miles and beyond,” said Donk. “The farther he goes, the better he is. I’m probably going to shorten him up once more. We’ll have to consider the [$500,000] Hollywood Derby [on Nov. 25 at Hollywood Park] because it is a Grade 1.”