Three Degrees Turns Up Heat

Defeated in her first two starts in England last year, Three Degrees is a nose away from perfection in the U.S.

Atoning for her first loss, to longshot Virden in an extremely close photo finish in the Senorita Stakes on May 8, the 3-year-old Singspiel filly and 2-1 favorite overtook pacesetter and 15-1 outsider Thatswhatimean in the final eighth of a mile to win the $163,125 Honeymoon Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Owned by Dick Bonnycastle, Aron Wellman, Michael Rosenmayer, Brandon Huenefeld and Mary Rita DePietro and trained by Pat Gallagher, Three Degrees has won three of four in this country, winning twice going about 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita.

Alex Solis had been aboard for her previous two victories, but he was on Berbatim on Sunday, so Gary Stevens took over on the Irish-bred. In winning by 2 3/4 lengths, she ran the 1 1/8 miles on turf in a stakes-record 1:46.84.

“She is very cat-like, she can do things so easy,” Gallagher said. “She’s so athletic. She has a good head on her shoulders.”

If seeing a filly he had ridden three times win a Grade II wasn’t enough, Solis had a nightmarish trip with Berbatim, who was making her first start since an impressive score in the Providencia on April 9 at Santa Anita. The jockey lost his irons at the start when Berbatim stumbled badly, and, having no real control over the horse, he had to pull her up down the backstretch after she bore out badly into the first turn.

“She just stumbled leaving the gate and nearly went down,” Solis said. “It was just one of those things, I guess. As soon as she went down, I tried to pull her up and her saddle slipped forward. There was nothing else I could do.”

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Melhor Ainda, possibly the top 3-year-old turf filly in the country, remained unbeaten with another easy victory in the $111,200 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park.

Now perfect in four starts, the daughter of Pulpit, who was the 2-5 favorite, won by 2 3/4 lengths over 18-1 shot Laurafina while running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.50. She has won her races by a combined 17 3/4 lengths for T N T Stud and trainer Bobby Frankel. She was ridden by John Velazquez and could make her next start in the $750,000 American Oaks on July 3 at Hollywood Park.

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Triple Crown ratings

Tribune Co. ratings for 3-year-olds leading to the Belmont Stakes:

*--* Horse Jockey Trainer St W P S Last race Next race 1. Jeremy Tim 11 7 2 1 Preakness Belmont Afleet Rose Ritche (1st) Stakes, Alex y Saturday 2. Mike E. John 9 2 2 3 Preakness Belmont Giacomo Smith Shirre (3rd) Stakes, ffs Saturday 3. Ramon Robert 10 3 5 2 Preakness Undecided Scrappy Domingu Bailes (2nd) T ez 4. Javier Nick 6 4 0 0 Kentucky Undecided Bellamy Castell Zito Derby (7th) Road ano 5. Corneli Kiaran 9 3 3 2 Preakness Undecided Closing o McLaug (9th) Argument Velasqu hlin ez 6. Mark Jeff 9 3 1 2 Kentucky Undecided Buzzards Guidry Mullin Derby (5th) Bay s 7. Don’t Tyler Ron 7 3 1 1 Kentucky Undecided Get Mad Baze Ellis Derby (4th) 8. High Jerry Nick 8 5 0 1 Preakness Undecided Fly Bailey Zito (10th) 9. Rafael Nick 4 3 0 0 Sir Barton Belmont Pinpoint Bejaran Zito (1st) Stakes, o Saturday 10. Shaun Thomas 5 3 2 0 Peter Pan Travers, Aug. Oratory Bridgmo Albert Stakes 27 han ani (1st)

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Panel: Bill Christine, Los Angeles Times; Tom Keyser, Baltimore Sun; Dave Joseph, South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune; Paul Moran, Newsday.