‘Hero Pushes On for Derby

Owner Ernie Paragallo, the man behind the successful Paraneck Stable, hasn’t fared so well in the Kentucky Derby.

Unbridled’s Song, finished fifth as a lukewarm 7-2 favorite in the 1996 Kentucky Derby, but that was infinitely better than Paragallo’s other two runners in the world’s most famous race. Artax, who went on to become a champion sprinter, was 13th in 1998 and Adonis was 17th a year later.

Paragallo may be headed to the Derby again this year after New York Hero, a 14-1 shot, won the $500,000 Lane’s End Stakes against a suspect field Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Making his first start with blinkers after winning two of four on the inner track at Aqueduct earlier in the year, the Maryland-bred, who was always close to the pace, beat 7-1 shot Eugene’s Third Son by a neck in 1:50.68 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Giving trainer Jennifer Pedersen the biggest victory of her career, the Partner’s Hero colt was ridden for the first time by Norberto Arroyo Jr. Not an early nominee to the Triple Crown, New York Hero would have to be supplemented for $6,000 before the end of the month to be eligible for the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Pedersen indicated the colt could return in the Wood Memorial on April 12 at Aqueduct, which is also the destination of current Kentucky Derby favorite Empire Maker.

Eugene’s Third Son, who was trying to give jockey Pat Day his sixth winner of the day, wound up 2 1/4 lengths in front of 5-2 second choice Champali, who lost for only the second time in eight starts. Racing beyond seven furlongs for the first time, Lion Tamer, the 4-5 favorite, finished fourth.

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After being alone on the lead through very slow fractions, Noches De Rosa, a 13-1 shot, had more than enough left in the final eighth of a mile to hold off Garden In The Rain and Megahertz and win the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap at Santa Anita.

A loser in her first five starts in this country after winning two of six in her native Chile, the 5-year-old Stagecraft mare went 24.94 for the first quarter-mile, 50.22 for the half, 1:13.76 for six furlongs and went on to beat Garden In The Rain by half a length. Owned by Gerald Ford’s Diamond A Racing Corp. and trained by Richard Mandella, Noches De Rosa, who had been softer in the Reloy Handicap in her most recent appearance on Jan. 31, completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.31, meaning she ran the last furlong under jockey Mike Smith in a rapid 11 2/5 seconds.

Megahertz, the even-money favorite, was third, a neck behind Garden In The Rain. After winning her first five races in the United States for trainer Bobby Frankel, she has lost four in a row.

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While Bob Baffert sent out three 3-year-olds in the $80,700 San Pedro Stakes, fellow trainer Jeff Mullins needed only one to win the ungraded race at Santa Anita.

Taking the blinkers off and returning to the main track after finishing second to stablemate and San Felipe Stakes winner Buddy Gil last month, King Robin, the 5-2 second choice, beat Truckle Feature, one of Baffert’s trio and the longest shot in the field at 18-1, by half a length. Ridden by Alex Solis, the Robyn Dancer gelding won for the fifth time in 11 starts and completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.21.

Rojo Toro, the 11-10 favorite, lost for the first time in starts for Baffert. The winner of an ugly San Rafael in his first race around two turns in his 2003 debut March 1, Rojo Toro faded to fifth after a perfect trip pressing the pace from the outside.