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Pomona, Calif. (Sept. 19, 2008) – Charlie’s Moment, ridden by Joel Rosario, was a convincing 2 ½ length winner in Friday’s $65,000 Gateway To Glory Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
Pacesetter Aquicksting faded to second with It’s Gotta Be Us third as the timer blinked 1:45.62.
Charlie’s Moment, a 2-year-old gelded son of Indian Charlie, raced wide for most of the journey, but that was by design.
“I wanted to keep him wide and in the clear because sometimes when you’re down on the rail, they get a little crazy,” said Rosario. “He was best today, so being wide didn’t matter.”
Winning trainer Walther Solis was concerned about the trip watching the race.
“I was a little afraid when Joel was so wide with him,” said Solis smiling. “I was saying, ‘save some ground.’ But he knew what he was doing. Now, that we know the horse can handle a distance of ground, we can start to make some plans.”
Charlie’s Moment paid $4.20 to win and earned $35,750 for the victory.
* Black Princess, ridden by jockey Miguel Hernandez, scored a stunning upset in the third race at 1 1/16 miles when she beat the 4-5 favorite, American Point, by a nose for the biggest $2 win payoff of the season---$142.80.
The 4-year-old $20,000 maiden claiming filly had only started twice previously in her career, and both races were sprints contested at Fairplex. In 2006 she finished eighth, beaten 13 ½ lengths, and didn’t return to the races until 2008 when she improved to be sixth, beaten 9 3/4 lengths on Sept. 10.
The all-time $2 win payoff in the 70-year history of Fairplex came in 1976 when Uncle Fox returned $182.20 on Sept. 21, 1976.
* Racing secretary Richard Wheeler has a stakes double-header scheduled for Saturday with the $65,000 CTBA Marian Stakes at 1 1/16 for 3-year-old California bred fillies and the 54th edition of the $100,000 Pomona Derby at 1 1/8 miles.
The CTBA Marian Stakes drew a field of eight, headed by Gambler’s Justice, the 3-5 favorite on Brad Free’s morning line. Trained by the red hot Bill Spawr , Gambler’s Justice will be ridden by the meet’s leading jockey Martin Pedroza.
Also entered are Warren ’s Appeal, Kazana, Debating Society, Stroppy, Hadl’s Hey Day, Quid Non and Spinning Yarns.
Bingham, a comfortable wire to wire winner against allowance foes on grass at Del Mar in early August, as been installed as the 9-5 favorite for the 54th running of the Pomona Derby.
His main foe is the late-running Trevor’s Clever, victorious in the $76,000 Alydar Stakes at Hollywood Park in May and the $65,000 Jim Kostoff Stakes on opening day at Fairplex.
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