Boule d’Or wins San Luis Rey

A horse claimed from trainer Paddy Gallagher won the $200,000 San Luis Rey Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Only it was not the foreign-bred many bettors expected.

While 6-5 favorite On The Acorn, who was taken for $40,000 more than 17 months ago by his current connections, was sixth, Boule d’Or, who was claimed for $50,000 from Gallagher on Jan. 20, is now two for two for his new owners.

An easy winner in an optional claimer in his first for trainer Jeff Mullins last month, Boule d’Or, a 7-year-old Irish-bred, opened up a sizable lead -- 10 lengths after a mile -- then barely had enough left to hold off 5-1 shot Porfido by three-quarters of a length in the Grade II.

Owned by Bob Bone, Don Johnson and Jim Robinson, Boule d’Or, who was winless in his first seven races in the U.S. before the claim, won in 2:25.48 for the 12 furlongs on turf under jockey Tyler Baze. He returned $10 as the second choice.

“That was kind of the way we figured he would run,” Mullins said. “We didn’t really expect him to be that far in front, but the last eighth of a mile had us all nervous.

“I don’t think he finished all that strong, but he got the advantage over the other horses on the turn and nobody could run him down.”

A double Grade II winner for trainer Mike Mitchell in 2007, On The Acorn simply didn’t fire in his second race after a lengthy break. He finished nearly 10 lengths behind the winner. It was the first time the 7-year-old gelding had been worse than third since he was ninth -- in his initial race for Mitchell -- in a $50,000 claimer on Nov. 25, 2006 over the Hollywood Park grass.

Extremely tired after the San Luis Rey, On The Acorn is still scheduled to return to defend his title in the $250,000 San Juan Capistrano on April 20.

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Adriano, a 3-year-old son of A.P. Indy, won the $500,000 Lane’s End at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Ridden by Edgar Prado, Adriano, a 9-2 shot, won for the third time in seven starts for owner-breeder Courtlandt Farms and trainer Graham Motion. Favored Halo Najib was second and California shipper Medjool finished third.

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Strodes Creek, who was second to Go For Gin in the 1994 Kentucky Derby, was recently euthanized after breaking a leg in South Korea.

Strodes Creek, a son of Halo, finished his career with three wins in nine starts and earnings of $430,006. Strodes Creek also was third behind Tabasco Cat and Go For Gin in the Belmont Stakes.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com