Gomez racks up record 71st stakes victory of the year

Garrett Gomez hoists a plaque marking his historic achievement (Benoit Photo)

Jockey Garrett Gomez established a new North American single-season record

for stakes wins on Sunday when guiding SPRING AWAKENING (In Excess [Ire]) to a

two-length score in the $108,100

Moccasin

S. at Hollywood Park. Gomez's 71st stakes victory came a mere 24 hours after

he had tied the old mark of 70 originally set by Jerry Bailey in 2003.

"This is the guy (pointing to agent Ron Anderson) that did it right here,"

Gomez said. "I just pointed 'em in the right direction."

Anderson also handled Bailey's business during his record-setting season.

"Like I said before, I didn't realize the record too much and as I got

closer, Ron said something to me," Gomez said. "Until I tied it yesterday

(aboard Hucking Hot [GB] in the Audrey Skirball-Kenis S.), it really hadn't sunk

in."

Gomez enjoyed an outside stalking trip aboard Spring Awakening, the 8-5

favorite in the seven-furlong affair for juvenile fillies. After attending the

pace through splits of :22 4/5 and :45 2/5, the Mike Mitchell pupil made her

move entering the stretch and left no suspense inside the final furlong as she

powered home. Spring Awakening stopped the teletimer in a swift 1:21.38 on the

Cushion Track, just .16 off the track record, to earn her first stakes score,

and hand Gomez the much anticipated number 71.

Sindy Jacobson (More Than Ready), the early leader, held second by 1

1/4 lengths from pace rival The Golden Noodle (D'Wildcat).

Gomez gives a celebratory fist-pump aboard Spring Awakening (Benoit Photo)

"I was watching Garrett," said Tyler Baze, who rode Sindy Jacobson, "and when

he came up to me at the top of the lane, I asked my filly to kick, because she

really has a turn of foot, and she did. We were flying down the lane. The other

one was just a little bit faster."

An impressive maiden winner versus California-breds in her second start,

Spring Awakening finished a solid second in the Del Mar Debutante S. (G1) and

was most recently third in the Anoakia S. The bay filly now boasts a record of

5-2-1-2, $167,962, for owner-breeder Gerald Frankel and his partners, Robert and

Coit Strauss.