Blind Luck rallies from last to win Vanity Handicap

For the fourth consecutive year, the $250,000 Grade I Vanity Handicap was won by a horse that came from last place. Except this time, it was Blind Luck taking over for retired Zenyatta with a rousing stretch run under Garrett Gomez on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Blind Luck, last year’s 3-year-old filly Eclipse Award winner, defeated Switch by half a length, overcoming a slow pace to win the 11/8 -mile race that brought together the top older horses in the female division. Miss Match was third.

Considering that American Story set a pace that resulted in a leisurely 50.24 opening half mile, the ability of Blind Luck to rally from last in a field of six demonstrated her talent and the timing of Gomez. The final time of 1:50.80 was the slowest in 60 runnings of the race at 11/8 miles.

“I was a little nervous, but I think Garrett was a little closer than he ordinarily would have been,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said of the pace.

Said Gomez: “I felt if we [Blind Luck and Switch] turned for home together or me giving her two or three lengths, I could still run her down. She loves to run in the lane, and she has a heck of a turn of foot.”

Hollendorfer, set to be inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame this summer, turned 65 on Saturday.

In the $70,000 Manhattan Beach Stakes, 11-1 longshot Sugarinthemorning, ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, defeated Mizdirection by 11/2 lengths to take the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies on the turf course.

Santa Anita makes pitch

Santa Anita, Belmont Park and Churchill Downs are the finalists to play host to the 2012 Breeders’ Cup.

Tom Ludt, chairman of the Breeders’ Cup, told the Thoroughbred Times that a decision should come soon.

Santa Anita President George Haines said, “We’re optimistic. We think we have a real good chance. We made a presentation to the Breeders’ Cup Board.”

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

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