Sun sets on Ryehill's dream comeback

"I had to be on the lead with my horse," Bejarano recapped. "I knew there was

going to be a little speed on the outside, so I had to use a little bit of my

horse in the beginning, but after that I was able to relax. When I saw the

favorite (Ryehill Dreamer) was coming next to me, I tried to save as much ground

as I could and let my horse go with him. This horse always runs well with me."

Ryehill Dreamer's rider, Joe Talamo, praised his effort in defeat.

"That's about as good as he could have run," Talamo said. "We had a perfect

trip, laid right off the winner, but just got outrun. When my horse switched

leads down the lane, I really thought I had a chance to catch the leader, but I

just think he got outrun. I think he really needed the race today because he

hasn't run in so long. It was a really great effort considering the layoff."

The two market leaders engaged in a virtual match race, for no one else

threatened. Another 2 1/2 lengths astern came Temple's Door in third, followed

by Bud I Crushed It and Brushburn. Polytechnicien was scratched.

Red Sun has spent a fair amount of time on the shelf

as well. Third in the Grade 2 San Francisco Mile in April 2010, the son of Redattore was not seen again for a year. The California-bred made only two

starts in 2011 and had another year-long layoff following his third in the Harry

F. Brubaker at Del Mar. The six-year-old gelding reappeared at the same venue in

an August 30 optional claimer, finishing second, and was subsequently ninth in

the Grade 3 Eddie D. (formerly the Morvich) on Santa Anita's downhill turf on

September 28. The Lure was his third start back, advancing his scorecard to

11-6-2-2, $280,188.

"He's been close in other stakes races, but this time we got it," Gaines

said. "He ran an off race down the hill last time, and we really don't have a

reason for that. His last race was not typically him. He came back with a good

performance.

"One mile suits him better, and we had a little conditioning edge on the

favorite (Ryehill Dreamer). You take what you can get, right? He's always been a

very, very nice horse. He just had his problems along the way, so it is very

rewarding that he gets it done today."

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