Jack’s Wild rallies at Santa Anita to end a 15-race losing streak

Ending a lengthy losing streak, 10-1 shot Jack’s Wild rallied strongly in the final quarter of a mile to win the $100,000 Crystal Water Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita.

A loser of 15 in a row since winning at Fairplex Park in September 2005, the 5-year-old Lil Tyler gelding was up to beat 11-1 outsider Scottsbluff and seven others in the ungraded race restricted to California breds.

Brice Blanc rode Jack’s Wild, who had been winless in five previous starts on the Santa Anita turf course, for owner Alex Venneri and trainer Jorge Gutierrez. The final time for the mile was 1:34.84.

“He runs best from well off the pace,” Gutierrez said. “He’s been much more productive like that. He saved some ground, he got between horses and he made the late run. For a second there, I thought we might not catch [Scottsbluff], but he did.”

El Don, the 19-10 favorite who had finished only 5 1/4 lengths back in the Sunshine Millions Turf on Jan. 27, was last. The 6-year-old Cee’s Tizzy gelding has failed to hit the board in three races on the Santa Anita turf.

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Former jockey Gary Stevens, who has been working as an analyst for Television Games Network, has assumed a new role.

Stevens, a member of racing’s Hall of Fame who retired from riding late in 2005, is the new agent for jockey Corey Nakatani. Currently sixth in the standings at Santa Anita, Nakatani hired Stevens to replace Tom Knust.

“I thought it would be a good change of pace,” said Nakatani. “Gary is a Hall of Famer and that is my ultimate goal. Winning the [Kentucky] Derby and putting yourself in a position to win classic races is where we are at.

“I talked to Gary and I think it is a great move. It worked for John Velazquez and Angel Cordero Jr. Things just looked like they were going in the wrong direction, and when that happens you need to stir things up.”

Scheduled to ride Liquidity for owner Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7, Nakatani and Stevens will then depart for Keeneland.

“I’m excited,” said Stevens, who will continue to work for TVG. “Corey is obviously a great rider, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity of working for him.”

This won’t be the first time Stevens has worked as an agent. He worked for two days for the now-retired Luis Jauregui several years ago during his initial retirement from riding.

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Jockey Victor Espinoza made it consecutive wins in the $600,000 WinStar Derby, directing 2-1 second choice Song of Navarone to a victory at Sunland Park in New Mexico. Espinoza also won the race a year ago aboard Wanna Runner.

The win was the third in five starts for Song of Navarone, a 3-year-old Sultry Song colt owned by George Coleman and trained by Henry Dominguez. Solemn Promise finished second and favored Forty Grams was third.

Third in the Sham behind Ravel and Liquidity in his lone start outside New Mexico on Feb. 3 at Santa Anita, Song of Navarone ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.53. Law Breaker, the morning line favorite, was scratched.

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Stevie Wonderboy, the 2-year-old champion of 2005, worked three furlongs in 35.40 on Saturday morning at Hollywood Park. Owned by Merv Griffin and trained by O’Neill, the winner of the Del Mar Futurity and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is pointing for a return sometime in May.

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com