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Global Finance Pays Dividends in Nursery

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Like the betting public, trainer Jerry Dutton was not stunned Saturday by Global Finance’s victory at 7-10 in the $85,580 Nursery Stakes at Hollywood Park.

What Dutton, who won the race for the fourth time since 1996, found surprising was the manner in which the 2-year-old End Sweep filly got the job done.

Showing more early speed than her trainer and co-owner thought she would, the 7-10 favorite put away pacesetter Forthelifeofme after three furlongs and drew away in the stretch. At the wire, she and jockey David Flores had four lengths on 5-1 second choice Magic Smoke and completed the five furlongs in 583/5.

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Joining Starry Ice, Wired To Fly and Golden Ballet as Dutton-owned and trained winners of the Nursery in the last seven years, Global Magic earned her second win in three starts and both victories have come in Inglewood. In her debut, she was seventh of 10 in a two-furlong race at Santa Anita.

“I knew she would finish, but she started a little quicker than I thought she would,” said Dutton, who owns the filly with wife Barbara. “I was left wondering a little, but it worked out well just the way it was.”

With Kent Desormeaux in Texas for the Lone Star Derby, where he finished last with Holdthehelm, Flores became the third different rider on the winner and he was impressed.

“I think she is a very talented filly,” he said. “The farther she goes, I think she’ll be even better. I just put her in a good spot today to make it easier for me.

“She got a little tired around the turn and then she jumped forward, so that was a great sign. At the top of the stretch, she was pricking her ears a little and made it home easy.”

Outrun early after breaking a bit slowly, Magic Smoke finished strongly for second, two lengths in front of Forthelifeofme, then came Silver Shot, Singing Swiss and Enduring Freedom. Bronx Tale and Newport Nikki were scratched earlier in the day.

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Wiseman’s Ferry made his first stakes victory a lucrative one with a wire-to-wire victory in the $500,000 Lone Star Derby at Lone Star Park.

Owned by Morton Fink, Lee Sacks and Swifty Farms and trained by Niall O’Callaghan, the 3-year-old Hennessy colt wasn’t bothered breaking from the outside post in the field of 14.

Ridden by Jorge Chavez, who was also the jockey when he won for the first time in this country over a sloppy track at Keeneland on April 14, Wiseman’s Ferry, a 7-1 longshot, completed the 11/8 miles in 1:494/5.

Tracemark, trained by Craig Dollase and ridden by Alex Solis, was second, nearly three lengths back, and it was another three lengths to 22-1 Peekskill. Smoked Em, the 3-1 favorite who was ridden by Chris McCarron, was fifth.

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Mellow Fellow, who could have been claimed for $40,000 earlier this year, made it six consecutive victories by defeating Explicit, favored Swept Overboard and three others in the $200,000 Bay Meadows Breeders’ Cup Sprint Handicap at Bay Meadows.

Ridden by Russell Baze and trained by Bill Morey Jr., who owns the gelding in partnership with Bart Heller, Mellow Fellow ($7.20) completed the six furlongs in 1:081/5.

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The 7-year-old, who was claimed by Morey for $20,000 out of his first career start in 1998, has won 11 of 24 and is four of five at Bay Meadows.

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Left Bank, the 3-10 favorite, made a successful 2002 debut, winning the $102,900 Bold Ruler Handicap against only three opponents at Belmont Park.

Owned by Michael Tabor and trained by Todd Pletcher, the 5-year-old French Deputy horse won for the 12th time in 21 starts by beating 16-1 longshot Silky Sweep by a length in 1:091/5 for the six furlongs. John Velasquez was aboard the winner, who is scheduled to run May 27 in the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap.

Two races later, Nonsuch Bay, an 11-1 longshot, rallied between horses late and got up to beat 9-2 fourth choice Wopping by a nose in the $200,000 Nassau Breeders’ Cup Stakes.

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