Irish-Bred Stratham Is Thriving in the States

Stratham has certainly found a home in the United States.

A winner once in six starts in England, the Irish-bred son of Mozart has won three of four locally for owner Jerry Jamgotchian and trainer Tim Yakteen.

The latest victory Sunday was the first in a graded stakes for Stratham as he and jockey David Cohen teamed to take the $100,000 Will Rogers at Hollywood Park.

The 5-2 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line, Stratham rewarded those who kept the faith after he had won twice in three outings on the Santa Anita turf course. He paid $16.20 while completing the mile in the Grade III in 1:34.19.

Given a ground-saving ride by Cohen, who rode the colt for the first time when he won the La Puente on April 15 in Arcadia, Stratham sat off the early pace set by favored Corazondelcampeon, got through along the inside in the stretch and out-finished New Joysey Jeff to win by three-quarters of a length. He has been first or second in eight of 10 on the turf.

“He’s a very honest little colt and we’ve been fortunate that he’s done quite well,” said Yakteen, a former assistant to Bob Baffert who picked up his first Hollywood Park stakes victory. “I’m hoping he will continue to go longer.”

New Joysey Jeff, the 7-2 second choice who had won his only other race on grass, finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of 7-1 shot Obrigado, then came Corey County, Niagara Causeway, Corazondelcampeon and Silver Crest.

*

There will be a pick six carry-over of $616,240 when racing resumes Wednesday at Hollywood Park. There were no winning favorites in the sequence.

*

Take D’Tour, a 6-1 shot, made it three wins in four starts since joining the stable of trainer David Fawkes and led throughout to capture the $147,000 Shuvee Handicap at Belmont Park.

Owned by Alice Muller, the 5-year-old Tour d’Or mare won by 5 1/2 lengths under jockey Cornelio Velasquez to earn her first graded stakes win. She ran the mile in 1:36.10 in the Grade II for her sixth win in 15 lifetime races.

Indian Vale, a winner of five of six starts as a 3-year-old, finished last in the field of five in her 2006 debut. The 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy was beaten about 16 lengths under jockey Garrett Gomez.

“She was struggling to stay with them from the five-eighths pole home,” Gomez said.