What A Song Wins Again for Lewises

Bob Lewis, 81, says that he’s not investing in yearlings anymore.

“I’m concentrating on 2-year-olds,” the retired Newport Beach beer executive said. “It takes a while to get those yearlings to track, and I ain’t got that much time left.”

Which is not to say that Lewis is stinting at thoroughbred auctions. He has 27 2-year-olds spread among four trainers, and one of them, What A Song, cost $1.9 million, the most Lewis and his wife, Beverly, have paid for a horse.

The Lewises still thirst for a third Kentucky Derby winner, to go with the trophies that Silver Charm and Charismatic brought home in the 1990s, and What A Song could be their next contender. He connected for the second time in as many starts on Saturday, overcoming Bashert in the stretch to win the $104,500 Hollywood Juvenile by a neck. Stevie Wonderboy ran third in the five-horse field.

“It shows that a $1.9-million horse is supposed to be better than a $110,000 horse,” said Bill Currin, who co-owns and trains Bashert. “Just do the math. But don’t get me wrong, the Lewises spend their money, and I’m going to congratulate them. They’re entitled to win some of these races.”

Currin said the Juvenile was a fair race, but Rene Douglas, Bashert’s jockey, thought his chances were compromised when Blaze It, a 43-1 shot, forced his colt into fast early fractions of :21 4/5 and :44 2/5 . Blaze It finished fourth, beaten by almost 11 lengths.

“There was a horse that didn’t belong in the race, and he cost me the race,” Douglas said of Blaze It, who had run for a $40,000 claiming price when he broke his maiden June 16.

What A Song, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Victor Espinoza, paid $3.60 after running six furlongs in 1:09 4/5 .

“I didn’t want to fight with the [early] leaders,” Espinoza said. “I had to break as quietly as I could and slowly take him back. Once I took him back, he was nice and relaxed.”

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English Channel, the even-money favorite, won the $750,000 Virginia Derby by 3 1/2 lengths at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. Chattahoochee War and Rebel Rebel, both trained by Bobby Frankel, finished second and third. English Channel, ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Todd Pletcher, has won four straight and five of six overall.

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In the seventh annual Claiming Crown series at Canterbury Downs in Shakopee, Minn., trainer Art Sherman shipped in Desert Boom from Northern California and Bobby Gonzalez rode the 5-year-old gelding to victory in the $150,000 Jewel Stakes. In the $125,000 Emerald, Mr. Mabee, a colt bred by John Mabee, the late chairman of Del Mar, won at 3-1. Mr. Mabee is undefeated in three starts since he was claimed by trainer Jimmy Zook for $17,500 in April.

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R Lady Joy, beaten by Round Pound in April, turned the tables at 17-1 to win the $500,300 Delaware Oaks by one length. It was R Lady Joy’s first win at a track other than Tampa Bay Downs. Dance Away Capote was third.... At Belmont Park, another longshot, Cacht Wells, won the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap. Cacht Wells, an Argentine-bred who had never won a stake in the U.S., paid $55.... Bluesthestandard, winner of Hollywood Park’s second race, earned $21,600 and is edging his way toward the $1-million mark. Bluesthestandard, who had been claimed five times before he rose to the stakes level, has returned to the claiming ranks and ran for $40,000 Saturday. The 8-year-old gelding, claimed by trainer Jeff Mullins from Ted H. West for $40,000 in March, has earned $985,258.

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Alex Harthill, a veterinarian who treated more than 20 Kentucky Derby winners, died Saturday in a hospice in Louisville, Ky. Harthill, who was 80, had suffered a stroke recently.

In 1968, Dancer’s Image, a horse Harthill treated, was disqualified as the Kentucky Derby winner when the colt tested positive for phenylbutazone, an anti-inflammatory drug that was illegal at the time. After a prolonged court challenge by Peter Fuller, the owner of Dancer’s Image, Forward Pass was declared the winner. Harthill, who denied any involvement in the controversy, was fined $500 by Kentucky racing authorities.