Daytona wires Hollywood Derby

Daytona had the measure of Medici Code (Benoit Photo) Under a masterful ride by Mike Smith, DAYTONA (Ire) (Indian Ridge) led throughout to claim Sunday's $500,000 Hollywood Derby (G1), bringing the three-day Turf Festival to a close. The Dan Hendricks pupil was allowed to relax on an easy lead through tepid fractions of :24 1/5, :48, 1:12 1/5 and 1:36. Turning for home, Smith delivered the coup de grace, and Daytona gave his pursuers the slip. Medici Code (GB) (Medicean) gobbled up ground late to reduce the winner's margin to a half-length at the wire, but Daytona remained in control while clocking 1:59 3/5 for 1 1/4 miles on the firm turf. The 5-1 co-second choice paid $13.20, $7.40 and $5.40. "He's naturally quick," Smith said. "If someone wants to outrun him, they're going to have to send to do it. He broke really well and got the jump on them. He took everything in. He was breathing right and got into a nice rhythm. When we hit the far turn, he opened up and was gone." "I was scared they were going to move early on him down the backside," Hendricks said. "When they didn't, I knew it would be tough to get him." The 16-1 Medici Code turned in a commendable performance after loping along near the back of the pack early, providing payouts of $11.40 and $7. Bold Hawk (Silver Hawk) likewise finished with interest to check in third, three-quarters of a length adrift of Medici Code, and returned $4 as the other co-second choice at 5-1. The $1 exacta totaled $91.60, the $1 trifecta yielded $609.60, and with the 6-1 Twilight Meteor (Smart Strike) in fourth, the 3-11-5-2 superfecta ($1) was worth $2,253.40.

Mostacolli Mort (Hold for Gold) came next, trailed by Ten a Penny (Gulch);

Worldly (GB) (Selkirk); even-money favorite Nobiz Like Shobiz (Albert the

Great), who was in a good stalking position in the opening stages but came up

empty in the drive; Warning Zone (Chester House); and Augment (Aptitude). Patch

of Blue (Mr. Greeley) was withdrawn after he "came up a little sore," according

to trainer Richard Mandella.

Daytona is now two-for-two with Smith, having romped by 4 1/4 lengths in the

Oak Tree Derby (G2) last time out. Two starts back, he was third in the El Cajon

S. on the Polytrack at Del Mar. Campaigned by Davenport, Lenner, Skyline Stables

et al, he sports a mark of 10-4-2-2 with $463,862 in earnings.

The chestnut gelding was bred in Ireland by the Irish National Stud, and as a

yearling, he commanded a bid of $432,360 at the 2005 Goffs Orby sale. Daytona

began his racing career sporting the colors of Sheikh Mohammed in England,

breaking his maiden on the Polytrack at Lingfield in his third start.

Offered shortly thereafter at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales' Lincoln sale in

March, Daytona brought the auction's top price of $115,200. His buyer was listed

as the Wales-based jumps trainer Peter Bowen, so hurdling appeared to be very

much in his future. But that never materialized, and Daytona surfaced with

Hendricks in California.

Daytona is out of the unraced Kyka (Blushing John), a half-sister to French

classic heroine Madeleine's Dream (Theatrical [Ire]) and Grade 3 victress Miss

Lenora (Theatrical [Ire]). Kyka is a daughter of dual classic queen L'Attrayante

(Fr) (Tyrant), who captured the 1983 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1), Irish

One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) and E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G2). Daytona has an unraced

juvenile half-brother named Kyka Magic (Touch of the Blues [Fr]).