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Chinese Dragon shakes off rust in San Francisco score Michael Carter et al.'s CHINESE DRAGON (Stravinsky) closed willingly through an opening on the rail to collar Vega's Lord (Ger) (Lord of Men) near the wire to take the $300,000 San Francisco Mile S. (G2) by a nose at Golden Gate on Saturday. Unraced since a runner-up finish in the Arcadia H. (G2) in April of 2006, the bay rated in last early before putting in his winning surge, completing one mile on the firm lawn in 1:35 4/5. Sent off as the 2-1 third choice, the five-year-old paid $6.60, $3.20 and $2.40 while topping the $27.60 exacta ($1) and $70.10 trifecta ($1) beneath Mike Smith. Vega's Lord surged past front runner Becrux (Ity) (Glen Jordan) at the top of the lane and looked like a winner in midstretch, but just missed late at 10-1. The runner-up was good for $6 and $3.40. Charmo (Fr) (Charnwood Forest [Ire]) made a threatening three-wide move turning for home but flattened out in the latter stages, settling for third at 2-1. Show paid $2.40. The Fourteenth (Louis Quatorze) was another 13 lengths back and followed by even-money choice Becrux. Sound Breeze (GB) (Giant's Causeway) was withdrawn. Chinese Dragon earned his fifth stakes victory in here, following tallies in the Pasadena S., Sir Beaufort S., La Puente S. and Alcatraz Breeders' Cup S., while also placing in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1). From a 12-7-2-1 career mark, the bay boasts $513,492 in lifetime earnings. The winner was bred in Kentucky by Ben Sangster and was purchased for $144,703 at the 2004 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. He is out of the winning Alydar mare Fabulous Fairy, and has an unnamed yearling half-brother by Giant's Causeway. This is the same female line as three-time Group 1 hero Desert Prince (Ire) (Green Desert), winner of the 1998 Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1), as well as 1981 English One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) heroine Fairy Footsteps (Ire) (Mill Reef).
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