Storm Wolf Caps Big Day for Headley, Solis

Trainer Bruce Headley was perfect on Saturday at Hollywood Park, which was something that couldn’t be said about jockey Alex Solis.

Headley won with all three of his runners on the card, all of which were ridden by Solis.

Solis, who had won 13 races through the first 21 days of the spring-summer meet, added two more wins, but he did actually lose once. He finished next-to-last with 12-1 shot Lereyev in the final race, meaning he had to settle for his fifth five-win day at the Inglewood track.

The biggest victory of the day for the Headley-Solis combination was provided by Storm Wolf, who made 2-5 look like a gift en route to a six-length win over five outclassed 3-year-olds in the $150,000 Lazaro Barrera Memorial.

Owned by Ernie Moody’s Mercedes Stable and Marsha Naify, the Stormin Fever colt, who was fourth in his debut before starting his win streak, broke a trifle slowly, but quickly got in gear and made the lead, easily discouraged 5-1 second- choice High Standards and won like a colt ready for greater challenges. In winning the Grade II, he ran the seven furlongs in 1:22.26.

“I guess it must be Alex Day,” Solis said. “Afleet Alex and Alex Solis. This is a very talented horse. He’s got a lot of class.

“He was running green the whole way, drifting out and looking around. Down the stretch, he was looking at the infield and he didn’t break that alertly, either. We’ll see how far he wants to go. He was so impressive today you’d think he could, but you never know.”

Dover Dere, the 5-1 third choice, outfinished 20-1 shot Ransom Demanded by half a length for the place, then came Thirsty Guy’s, Positive Prize and High Standards, who lost for the first time in five races on dirt.

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Society Selection rebounded from a disappointing 2005 debut at Gulfstream Park to easily win the $200,000 Shuvee Handicap at Belmont Park.

Last in the Shirley Jones Handicap at Gulfstream Park after a stumbling start on Feb. 19, the 4-year-old Coronado’s Quest filly trailed early under jockey Javier Castellano, came wide and won by nearly three lengths.

Ridden for the first time by jockey Eibar Coa, the 19-10 second choice ran the mile in 1:34.23 in the Grade II. It was her sixth win in 14 starts for owner-breeders Irv and Marjorie Cowan and trainer Allen Jerkens.

“We weren’t planning on running in this race until she worked too fast (46 1/5 a week ago today),” said Jerkens after his fourth Shuvee victory. “We figured she must have been pretty fit.”

Daydreaming, the 8-5 favorite, finished second, a neck in front of 7-1 shot Bohemian Lady, then came Traci Girl and Saintliness.

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Flying Circle, the 3-1 second choice, and jockey Eddie Castro ran past pacesetter Angel Trumpet in the final eighth of a mile to win the $100,000 Open Mind at Churchill Downs.

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Solis wasn’t the only jockey in California to win five races on Saturday.

Russell Baze, who is second on the all-time victory list behind Laffit Pincay, Jr., also accomplished the feat at Golden Gate Fields. One of Baze’s wins came on 7-5 favorite Pickle in the $100,000 Yerba Buena Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Owned by Ron Charles and Clear Valley Stables and trained by Sandy Shulman, Pickle, a 4-year-old Piccolo filly, won for the third time in four starts since coming to this country. She ran the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:41.72. Marla Bay, an 11-1 shot, was second and pacesetter Midwife ran third.