Locals Win on the Road

Two horses with California ties had a good day away from home on Saturday.

A little more than an hour after Bobby Frankel-trained Midas Eyes won the $250,000 Forego Handicap at Saratoga in New York, Adoration and jockey Victor Espinoza went wire-to-wire in the $150,000 Arlington Matron Handicap at Arlington Park in Illinois.

Wheeled back 10 days after he had won his first race in more than six months with ease, Midas Eyes fought favored Strong Hope for most of the seven furlongs, put that one away and went on to beat 5-2 second choice Clockstopper by 1 3/4 lengths.

In winning for the fifth time in 11 starts, Midas Eyes, a 4-year-old Touch Gold colt owned by Ed Gann, completed the distance in 1:22.22. Ridden by Edgar Prado, he paid $9.20 as the 7-2 third choice in the Grade I.

Frankel gave credit to assistant trainer Jose Cuevas.

“He’s the one who kept telling me how good this horse was doing and how sound he was,” Frankel said. “I was concerned about the 10 days, but, obviously, he’s a good horse. I was guessing, just like everyone else, how he would react and he reacted the right way.”

Making his first start since he finished third to Pico Central in the Metropolitan Handicap on May 31 at Belmont Park, Strong Hope, who was 9-5, finished fourth.

“It was a disappointment,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “He didn’t run as well as I expected.”

No one, however, was disappointed with Adoration’s effort. The upset winner of the 2003 Breeders’ Cup Distaff did what she was supposed to do in Illinois, scoring by two lengths as the 11-10 choice.

Trained by Dave Hofmans for Amerman Racing Stables LLC, the 5-year-old Honor Grades mare won for the eighth time in 20 starts, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.75. Tamwheel, the 17-10 second choice who was looking for her fourth consecutive victory, had to settle for second under Rene Douglas, Arlington’s leading rider.

“She did everything on her own easily and opened up turning for home,” said Espinoza. “I didn’t want to use her too much. It was just a hand ride.”

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Frankel also picked up a stakes win at Del Mar when favored Etoile Montante held off Katdogawn to win the $200,000 Palomar Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Ridden for the first time by Jose Valdivia Jr., who became the fifth jockey to climb aboard the 4-year-old filly since she came to the U.S. last year, Etoile Montante earned her seventh win in 15 starts for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms.