|
|
Buzzard keeps Sun Boat at Bay in Californian Gary S. Broad's BUZZARDS BAY (Marco Bay) took full advantage of the proverbial garden trip to capture Saturday's $250,000 Californian S. (G2) at Hollywood Park. Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. secured the perfect stalking position in the early going, just a few lengths behind the dueling pacesetters in third. Buzzards Bay advanced on the turn, kicked clear in deep stretch, and just held the furiously finishing Sun Boat (GB) (Machiavellian) by a nose at the wire. The Ron Ellis-conditioned winner stopped the teletimer in 1:49 3/5 for nine furlongs on the Cushion Track to pay $6.60, $4.20 and $3 as the 2-1 favorite. Reserved far back early, Sun Boat commenced his rally in the lane but really found his best gear inside the final sixteenth. The near-miss runner-up gave back $18.80 and $9 at 25-1 and ended the $76.30 exacta ($1). A. P. Xcellent (A.P. Indy) was gunned to the front from the far outside post 10, reeling off fractions of :24 1/5, :47 2/5 and 1:10 4/5 while pressed by Kip Deville (Kipling). Shaking free of his pace rival, A. P. Xcellent surged to the lead at the top of the stretch before surrendering to the top pair but kept on to finish a clear third. The 7-1 shot returned $4.60 and rounded out the $598.70 trifecta ($1). With the nearly 3-1 Boboman (Kingmambo) checking in another two lengths back in fourth, the 9-7-12-4 superfecta ($1) was worth $2,271.60. Jack's Wild (Lil Tyler) reported home fifth, trailed by Saint Stephen (Saint Ballado), Wilko (Awesome Again), Kip Deville, Hockey the General (General Meeting) and Perfect Drift (Dynaformer). Grand Point (Point Given) and Porfido (Chi) (Mash One [Chi]) were scratched. Buzzards Bay now sports a mark of 18-6-1-4 with a bankroll to the tune of $1,325,507. The flashy chestnut was earning his fifth career stakes tally, following scores in the 2005 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Golden Gate Derby as well as the 2006 Oaklawn H. (G2) and All American H. (G3). He also placed third in the 2005 editions of the El Camino Real Derby (G3) and Discovery H. (G3). Buzzards Bay appeared to be a major player in the handicap division early last season, but he was sidelined with an ankle injury after a fourth-place effort in the Stephen Foster H. (G1) last June. Reappearing in the May 5 Mervyn LeRoy H. (G2), the five-year-old bobbled at the break but closed well for third. Bred in Florida by Jay Shaw, Buzzards Bay is out of the unraced Seneca Jones mare Lifes Lass. He RNA'd for $20,000 at the 2003 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's August Yearling Sale. The next year he RNA'd again for $6,000 at the OBS April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale and RNA'd for $20,000 at the OBS June Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age. After his success as a three-year-old in the first half of 2005, Buzzards Bay sold at the end of the first session of the Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale for $725,000. Buzzards Bay is expected to line up next in the June 30 Hollywood Gold Cup S. (G1).
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
