Champion Lodge Closes Fast to Win

Making his first appearance in a graded stakes, Champion Lodge enjoyed the company and the soggy turf course Saturday at Santa Anita.

A 7-1 shot in the $250,000 San Luis Rey Stakes, the 6-year-old, Irish-bred gelding sailed past pacesetter Special Matter in the final eighth of a mile to easily win the Grade II race.

Owned by Ron Charles and Clear Valley Stables, Champion Lodge, who had won four of 21 in Europe before coming to the United States late last year, gave trainer Sandy Shulman his most significant win in nearly seven years. He trained Abaginone, who finished in a dead heat with Paying Dues in the 1996 Los Angeles Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by Alex Solis, the son of Sri Pekan, who had won his first start in this country before finishing fifth in the San Marino Handicap, completed the 1 1/2 miles on a yielding surface in 2:33.48.

“Last time, I told Sandy that I thought I rode a bad race,” Solis said after his 11th stakes win of the meet. “I could have kept him a little closer to the pace. I learned from that race, so this time I kept him in the race and he was very game to the wire.”

Special Matter, who was claimed for $12,500 by his current connections last May 31, was second, six lengths behind the winner. Then came Adminniestrator, Bonaguil, Sumitas, Delta Form, the 2-1 favorite, and Tenaja Trail. Blue Steller, Night Patrol and Requete were all scratched earlier in the day.

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Surviving a stewards’ inquiry, Affirmed Success, the 17-10 favorite, won the $109,100 Toboggan Handicap for the second consecutive year Saturday at Aqueduct.

Owned by Albert Fried and trained by Richard Schosberg, the 9-year-old gelding won for the 17th time in 41 starts and pushed his career earnings to $2,274,815. Ridden by Richard Migliore, Affirmed Success completed six furlongs in 1:09.09, beating Peeping Tom by a length.

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Patrick Valenzuela, Santa Anita’s leading rider by a wide margin, was given a five-day suspension by stewards Ingrid Fermin, Pete Pedersen and Tom Ward for an incident in Friday’s second race.

Valenzuela was cited for “crossing over without sufficient clearance going into the clubhouse turn” while riding Que Facil Corazon, the favorite in a turf race for $62,500 fillies and mares. The 5-year-old mare won the race but was disqualified and placed last. The suspension is scheduled to begin Wednesday.