Ticker Tape Parades to a Victory

There is one other result that could have made Saturday even better for trainer Jim Cassidy.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Cassidy, 58, is an avid New York Yankee fan and, for a second consecutive day, his team lost to the Mets.

So, Cassidy had to be content with the biggest victory of his career -- a 12-1 upset by Ticker Tape in the $750,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park.

A consistent daughter of Royal Applause who was purchased last year by Cassidy for owners Jim Ford, Daron Pearson and Jack Sweesy after she had run six times in England, Ticker Tape made a decisive move entering the stretch to draw clear and went on to win by one length. The final time for the 1 1/4 miles on turf was 2:01.54.

The beaten favorite in last month’s Honeymoon Breeders’ Cup Handicap when too far off a slow pace, she was kept closer to dawdling fractions on Saturday by jockey Kent Desormeaux, who had won the $109,700 Royal Heroine Stakes earlier with 19-10 second choice Janeian.

Ticker Tape’s fifth victory in 14 starts was the first Grade I success for Cassidy, who has been a fixture on the local circuit for about 11 years.

“I’m glad they graded this thing,” said Cassidy, referring to the fact the American Oaks, in only its third year of existence, became a Grade I in 2004. “This filly gives me 100% every time she runs. She’s a very nice filly. I just tossed out the Honeymoon because of what happened with no speed in the race.”

The victory was sweet for Desormeaux. Two years ago, he was disqualified from first and placed second while riding Dublino in the American Oaks.

“Yeah, I do have a little bit of history in this race, the wrong kind of history,” he said. “It felt particularly good to win.”

Dance In The Mood, the Japanese-bred daughter of Sunday Silence, finished second. She encountered trouble while beating 16-1 longshot Hollywood Story, who was making her grass debut, by two lengths.

“[Ticker Tape] had me covered up and I couldn’t move,” said Yutaka Take, who rode the runner-up. “I had to wait for at least 100 meters. She came out and finished very well. If my horse and the winner switch positions, I feel I would have won.”

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In the day’s other Grade I, the $300,000 Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Handicap, Pohave, the 2-1 favorite trained by Doug O’Neill, beat 52-1 outsider Rojo Toro by three-quarters of a length.

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Attorney Neil Papiano, who is representing jockey Patrick Valenzuela, contacted Hollywood Park stewards Pete Pedersen, George Slender and Tom Ward on Saturday morning to request a formal hearing for his client. The earliest a hearing could be scheduled would be sometime next week.

Valenzuela, who had returned from a one-month suspension Thursday to ride two winners, was suspended again Friday after failing to completely fulfill the terms of his conditional license.

Because he had shaved his head and other parts of his body, Valenzuela was unable to provide California Horse Racing Board investigators with the hair sample required by the terms of his agreement with the board. The testing of hair follicles is considered more advanced than urinalysis because drugs can become lodged in hair cells and remain detectable for months.

Valenzuela was off his mounts on Saturday and won’t ride today. His agent, Corey Black, also wasn’t able to name him on horses for Monday when entries were taken on Saturday.

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Peace Rules, who looked as if he was going to finish third in mid-stretch, rallied to beat 8-1 longshot Newfoundland and Funny Cide in a close finish in the $500,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.

Winning for the first time in four starts at 1 1/4 miles, the 3-1 second choice prevailed by a neck over Newfoundland. Funny Cide, a nose back in third, ran even though his trainer, Barclay Tagg, had said all week he would probably scratch if Peace Rules and Dynever ran. Dynever finished sixth as the 2-1 choice.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Peace Rules has won nine of 18.

Later on the card, favored Friendly Michelle earned the first Grade I victory of her career for trainer Bob Baffert, taking the $200,000 Prioress in tandem with rider Corey Nakatani.

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Frankel also won the $109,700 Flawlessly locally with 2-5 favorite Miss Vegas. Alex Solis was aboard the 3-year-old Elfisio filly for Gann and she has won seven of eight.

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Quantum Merit, at 5-1, made it three wins in a row with a victory in the $250,000 Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Churchill Downs.