Genre Wins Real Quiet, but Bob And John Is Best

The official winner of the $100,000 Real Quiet on Saturday at Hollywood Park was 8-1 shot Genre, but there’s no doubt the best 2-year-old in the field of five was Bob And John.

Bob And John crossed the wire first by six lengths -- a margin that could have been much greater had jockey Victor Espinoza wanted it to be -- but was disqualified and placed third after an incident early in the stretch that at most could be described as minor.

Bob And John and Espinoza, 1-5 favorites, were cited for causing interference to original third-place finisher Kissin Knight. Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Kissin Knight was beaten by a nose for second but was made the official runner-up.

Bob Baffert, who trains Bob And John for Bob and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable, had a hard time believing the decision made by stewards Darrel McHargue, Kim Sawyer and Tom Ward.

“[Valenzuela] rode him out the whole way,” Baffert said. “Dirty riding and we get disqualified. It’s a joke, unbelievable.”

Espinoza was also outspoken.

“You have to wonder if the stewards here can see what is going on,” he said. “This was just unbelievable. I really think they need new stewards here, especially after a ruling like that. That’s how I feel and I don’t care what they think.

“This wasn’t right, not for the horse and not for the public. I could have won by 20 lengths if I wanted. I was in the middle of the track and [Valenzuela] was the one who put his horse right on top of my heels.”

Speaking for the stewards on the track’s public address system, McHargue, a former jockey, explained to the on-track crowd that Bob And John caused Valenzuela, who had no comment, to “check off heels and alter course,” thus causing Kissin Knight to lose the place.

Genre, an English-bred, was making his first start on dirt and first in this country for owners David and Paula Mueller and trainer Ben Cecil. The son of Orpren, who is a son of Lure, was the second of five winners for jockey Martin Pedroza. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.99.

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Todd Pletcher, who set a record Friday for purse earnings by a trainer in a single season, further padded his bankroll with two stakes wins Saturday at Aqueduct.

Two races after 3-5 favorite Bluegrass Cat won his third in a row in the $200,000 Remsen, Purge, a 25-1 shot and one of three entrants Pletcher had in the $350,000 Cigar Mile, posted a shocker under jockey Garrett Gomez in the final Grade I of the year in New York.

In the day’s other graded stakes at Aqueduct, Wonder Lady Anne L, the longest shot in the field at 10-1, upset Cinderella’s Dream and three others to win the $200,000 Demoiselle.

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Private Vow, the 7-10 favorite, won the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club and French Park, the 8-5 choice, remained unbeaten with a victory in the $200,000 Golden Rod on the closing day program at Churchill Downs.

Jockey Gary Stevens, who made his retirement official Friday, finished second with favored Louve Royale with the final mount of his career in the afternoon’s final race.

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Kane Hekili, the 11-10 favorite, prevailed by a nose in the $2,066,667 Japan Cup Dirt in Tokyo.

The 3-year-old son of Fuji Kiseki, who is a son of the late Sunday Silence, won for the seventh time in eight starts on dirt, running the 1 5/16 miles in 2:08. Yutaka Take rode the winner in the Group 1 for owner Masato Kanoko and trainer Katsuhiko Sumii.

Lava Man, the winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup, finished 11th under jockey Corey Nakatani.