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TRIUMPHANT FLIGHT HEADS BARRETTS FIELD
Pomona, Calif. (Sept. 13, 2008) – Triumphant Flight, who is just a nose away from being undefeated in his two career races, will be heavily favored to win Sunday’s $130,000-estimated Barretts Juvenile at 6 ½ furlongs for 2-year-olds at Fairplex Park.
Trained by Eric Kruljac, Triumphant Flight beat California-bred maidens in his first start in June at Hollywood Park, then was nipped right on the wire by the fast closing Babs Moossa in the $136,000 Graduation Stakes at Del Mar on July 23.
Jockey Victor Espinoza rode the son of Chullo in both of his career races and he will be back aboard on Sunday, his first appearance of the season at Fairplex. Triumphant Flight has worked over the=2 0Pomona oval twice recently in preparation for Sunday’s test. He drilled a half-mile in 47 1/5 on Sept. 9 and five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 on Sept. 3, both fastest of the morning.
A dozen 2-year-olds entered the Barretts Juvenile, a race restricted to horses which went through the sales ring at of four Barretts sales auctions.
From the rail out the starters include: Capital Cat, Triumphant Flight, Fil’s Regent, Sherry’s Reddy, Clare’s Top Choice, Brave Justice, Danny Q, Catalina Fog, Mr. Rod and Bowie At Saratoga.
All Saint and Regal Coyote, stranded on the also-eligible list, must draw into the field.
PICK SIX, PICK NINE CARRYOVERS TODAY
Tikolino, ridden by jockey Luis Contreras and conditioned by veteran Pomona trainer Don Warren, scored a stunning $45.80 upset on Friday, pushing both the $2 pick six and $1 win pick nine into a carryover mode.
The pick six carryover pool---the third of the meet---for today is $36,596, while the win pick nine, which no one has tabbed for seven consecutive afternoons, has reached $33,589.
Today’s pick six begins with the eighth race on the 13-race program.
FAIRPLEX W IENER DOG RACES ON SUNDAY
A total of 64 wiener dogs have entered the first ever “Fairplex Weiner Dog Races,” which will be contested at 50 yards over Pomona’s main dirt oval on Sunday. There is a $5,000 purse with the winner receiving $1,500 along with a trophy and championship blanket.
There will be eight heats, the first beginning at approximately 1:40 p.m. (between the fourth and fifth thoroughbred races) with the eight trial winners returning in the final which has an approximate post time of 4:40 p.m. (between the tenth and eleventh race).
It will be standing room only near the finish line for all of the heats because the wiener dogs traditionally draw large crowds who really get into the “non-betting” events.
PEDROZA WIDENS HIS LEAD IN JOCK’S RACE
Jockey Martin Pedroza, in quest of his 10th consecutive riding championship---and 11th overall---added three more victories on Friday, guiding Teccot ($3.60), Best Mud ($2.40) and Crystal Got Even ($6) into the winner’s circle.
The triples gives Pedroza 27 winners from 67 mounts for win quotient of 40 percent and $477,440 in purse earnings in the first seven days of the 2008 season.
Predroza is on-track to eclipse his own single season record of 51 winners that he set in 2004. His purse earnings that year were slightly more than $1 million.
His nearest pursuer is Alonzo Quinonez who has won nine races, followed by apprentice Pedro Arambula with eight and Agapito Delgadillo with seven.
FAREWELLS: TREVOR’S CLEVER, winner of the opening day $65,000 Jim Kostoff Stakes and probable starter in the $100,000 Pomona Derby on Sept. 20, worked a half-mile on Saturday in 50 4/5 over the Fairplex oval…HURRY UP AUSTIN, who is expected to enter the marquee race of the meet, the $125,000 Ralph M. Hinds Invitational Handicap on Sept. 21), drilled one mile in 1:44 on Saturday…Betting favorites, who earlier in the meet were clicking at 46 percent, have won 37.18 percent (29 out of 78) of the races through the first seven days, while odds-on choice have scored 59.26 percent (16 of 27)…Trainer Ted H. West, who saddles the 8-5 favorite Speedin Excess for this afternoon’s $130,000-estimated Barretts Debutante, is atop the standings with five winners from just eight starters (63 percent). Jeff Mullins, Gary Sherlock, Michael Pender, Craig Lewis and Frank Monteleone are tied for second at three victories each…
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