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Bettys Bambino continues love affair with downhill turf in Daytona

Bettys Bambino began the year as an unraced four-year-old and finished it as a Grade 3 winner (Benoit Photo) Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Ciaglia Racing's homebred Bettys Bambino captured his stakes debut in Sunday's Grade 3, $101,000 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita, extending his record over the downhill turf course to four-for-five. Under Martin Garcia, the 3-1 second choice outkicked 6-5 favorite Sweet Swap and fended off Lil Bit O'Fun by a half-length. Garcia rode with a banged-up knee, sustained when Bettys Bambino pinned him against the inside of the gate. He subsequently took off his mount in the 9TH race, Pleasure Point. "My horse hit me in the head and then he hit me in the (right) knee, too, against the gate," Garcia said. "He was leaning on my knee that was in between him and the gate. In the moment the win was just exciting with the adrenaline. Now, I just need to go to the doctor to get checked out." Breaking sharply, Bettys Bambino was content to ease back off the contentious early pace. Fleet Eagle swooped to lead through an opening quarter in :21 4/5, but Eddie's First moved up to match strides through the half in :43 3/5. Sweet Swap was perched right behind them, and although he got the desired seam in the lane, he couldn't make the most of it. Flashing much stronger momentum wider out were Bettys Bambino and Lil Bit O'Fun, with the former prevailing in 1:12 2/5 for about 6 1/2 firm-turf furlongs.

The Peter Eurton-trained Bettys Bambino paid $8 to win and enhanced his resume to 9-5-0-3, $258,036.

Sweet Swap reported home another 1 1/2 lengths astern in third, followed by Play Hard to Get, Ankeny Hill, Mr. Sexy, Fleet Eagle, Eddie's First and the ever-trailing Clubhouse Ride. Indianapolis was scratched after running fourth in Friday's Malibu, along with Majestic Kitten.

Bettys Bambino didn't make it to the races until turning four this year. A 9 1/2-length debut winner in an off-the-turf sprint here February 28, he romped by 4 1/4 lengths in his first taste of the downhill March 21. Both came in Cal-restricted company. The dark bay gelding plied his trade unsuccessfully in open -company allowances in his four ensuing starts, but put it all together in dynamic fashion this fall. He won his last two over this course and distance by 9 1/2 lengths combined, and made it three in a row Sunday.

"He loves this course, and who knows, he might like a mile, but we never really had the opportunity," Eurton said. "He was scratched at Del Mar going to the gate in a mile turf race (on November 20) when he blew his shoe and they had to scratch him.

"But he does love the downhill and I don't think we'll ever change that. He needed a good draw because he kind of missed a little time after we scratched him at Del Mar, so it was a little funky.

"We're just kind of going to enjoy this one right now and see what comes up at a later date."

Bred by Alesia, Ciaglia and Mellen (of Bran Jam) in the Golden State, Bettys Bambino is by Unusual Heat and out of the winning High Brite mare Brite Betty. His second dam, the winning Balboa Betty, is a full sister to Hall of Famer Tiznow, $2.8-million earner Budroyale, Grade 2 scorer Tizdubai and stakes-winning sire Tizbud. This is also the immediate family of Grade 1-winning millionaire Paynter and 2013 Preakness hero Oxbow.

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