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Smooth trip for favorite, Gomez

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Times Staff Writer

Victimized by a troubled trip when second to Sunriver in his U.S. debut in the Hollywood Turf Cup last month, Champs Elysees had clear sailing Saturday at Santa Anita.

Kept wide by jockey Garrett Gomez, the 5-year-old Danehill horse and 2-5 favorite did the expected and won the $150,000 San Marcos.

Trained by Bobby Frankel for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms, Champs Elysees ran his last quarter in around 23 seconds to win for the third time in 13 starts. The final time for the 1 1/4 miles on turf was 2:00.88.

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“I thought he ran well,” Frankel said. “The pace was slow and he had to come five or six, but he finished well.”

Several hours after jockey Corey Nakatani suffered a broken right collarbone in a training accident at Hollywood Park, veteran rider Agapito Delgadillo suffered a possibly similar injury after being involved in a spill in the seventh race at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Nakatani, 37, who had five winners through the first 15 days of the winter-spring meet at Santa Anita, was hurt when an unraced maiden filly suffered a catastrophic leg injury, sending the rider to the ground.

The horse, who was trained by Kristin Mulhall, broke the cannon bone in her right front leg and had to be euthanized.

Delgadillo, who was taken to nearby Arcadia Methodist Hospital for X-rays, complained of shoulder pain after Buddyandrowdy, his mount in the one-mile turf race, clipped the heels of Surf Academy, who was ridden by Victor Espinoza, and fell. Buddyandrowdy apparently escaped injury while Surf Academy, who wound up second, was disqualified and placed last.

Nakatani’s bad fortune was Espinoza’s gain.

Replacing Nakatani on Trick’s Pic in the $110,300 Tuzla Handicap, Espinoza directed the 5-year-old Favorite Trick mare to a come-from-behind win in the Grade III on the grass.

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Making her first start for trainer Doug O’Neill, who won four at the Arcadia track Saturday, Trick’s Pic, who is owned by breeder Joseph LaCombe, won for the third time in 11 starts on turf. She completed the mile in 1:35.09. I Can See finished second and Good Mood was third.

O’Neill, whose other wins came with Surf Town in the third, Outlaw Jones in the fourth and Scottish Diamond in the 10th, indicated LaCombe would give Nakatani 50% of what Espinoza earned in winning the Tuzla, which amounted to about $6,600.

Angliana, a 9-2 shot, won the $81,600 Aqueduct Handicap, defeating Evening Attire and five others.

Alan Garcia rode the 6-year-old Giant’s Causeway horse to his fifth win in 21 starts for owner-breeder Alvin Haynes and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. A 10-year-old, Evening Attire finished a nose in front of 5-2 favorite Judiths Wild Rush.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com

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