Upsetting Time for 3-Year-Olds

The two biggest 3-year-old races in the country on Saturday provided upset winners.

Scipion, who had failed as the 6-5 favorite in his last start at Santa Anita on Jan. 14, rallied from last in a field of 11 to win the $150,000 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

About an hour and a half earlier, Sort It Out, a 19-1 shot, had made it three victories in a row with a neck victory over 7-2 second choice Naughty New Yorker in the $84,150 Whirlaway at Aqueduct in New York.

Scipion, a son of A.P. Indy trained by Patrick Biancone for owner Virginia Kraft Payson and ridden for the first time by Gary Stevens, finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 44-1 shot Real Dandy while completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.54.

This was the second win in five starts for Scipion, a 10-1 shot who had broken his maiden in his debut going seven furlongs Aug. 14 at Saratoga.

The disappointment in the Grade III was Harlington, the well-bred (Unbridled out of Serena’s Song) colt who had won his first two starts for owner Gene Melynk and trainer Todd Pletcher. Wide throughout under jockey John Velazquez after breaking from post 10, Harlington wound up sixth as the 13-10 choice.

In winning for the third time in four starts on Aqueduct’s inner track, Sort It Out, who was ridden by Tim Thornton, now has four wins in nine starts for Preferred Pals Stable and trainer Allen Iwinski.

Galloping Grocer, the 3-5 favorite making his first start since he was second to Rockport Harbor in the Remsen on Nov. 27, finished fourth, beaten by a little less than two lengths.

“He’s got a pretty big gash on the back of his left leg,” said Dominick Schettino, who trains the New York-bred Galloping Grocer for a partnership. “I’ll have to check him out. He’ll move forward off this race. He was coming off a layoff, and they ran fast today.”

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.32.

*

Third in her only previous appearance in a graded stakes, Tarlow led the field of five throughout under jockey Pat Valenzuela to win the $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.

A 4-year-old Stormin Fever filly trained by John Shirreffs for owners Jerry and Ann Moss, Tarlow ran the 1 1/8 miles over a track labeled wet fast in 1:48.64. The 9-2 fourth choice finished two lengths in front of 5-2 second choice Sweet Lips. A.P. Adventure, the 4-5 favorite, finished third; it was her third consecutive defeat as the public choice.

*

Sharp Lisa, the 3-5 favorite, earned her second graded stakes win of the Santa Anita meet, re-rallying to defeat Memorette and four other 3-year-old fillies in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes.

It was the third win in six starts for the daughter of Dixieland Band, who is owned by a partnership and trained by Doug O’Neill. She ran the mile in the Grade I in 1:35.64 under jockey Corey Nakatani.

*

In the three other stakes races at the Fair Grounds, Wrzescz won the $100,000 Taylor’s Special Handicap, favored Summerly won the $150,000 Silverbulletday and 5-1 shot Wanderin Boy won the $100,000 Mineshaft Handicap.

*

In a pair of graded races at Gulfstream Park, Mr. Light, a 6-1 shot, won the $100,000 Appleton Handicap and 7-2 second choice Snowdrops wore down pacesetter and 2-1 favorite Angela’s Love to win the $100,000 Suwanee River Handicap.

*

Stellar Magic, an 8-1 shot, ran down 3-5 favorite Texcess in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the $100,000 San Mateo Mile at Bay Meadows.

Trying two turns for the first time for co-owner and trainer Brian Pitnick, the 3-year-old Western Fame gelding won for the third time in four starts. Ridden by Dennis Carr, Stellar Magic completed the distance in 1:35.57.

Mieszerski reported from Arcadia.