Santa Anita Park

BALLYVAUGHAN GIG pressed the pace from outside to the top of the lane, fought on even terms in the final furlong and dug in gamely to edge the runner-up. GOLDEN ALE set the pace under pressure from BALLYVAUGHAN GIG, maintained a short lead along the fence through the turn, resisted into the last sixteenth and got outgamed by the winner. DISKO TRIBUTE followed in range outside a rival, traveled in the two path then along the inside on the turn, drifted out at the top of the lane, came back in some near the eighth pole, then drifted out again while gaining on the top pair in deep stretch. BOB'S BLUE MOON got crowded between rivals and had to pause early, angled to the inside, steady when running up behind a rival at the three-eighths pole, went between rivals then came three wide into the stretch, finished willingly and rounded out the superfecta. TIGERHON (FR) trailed in the early going and steered to the inside, passed a rival on the turn, had to pause behind runners at the quarter pole, split rivals at the top of the stretch and produced a mild rally. ELEGANT LIFE chased from inside, dropped back on the turn, came out a bit at the top of the lane and faded. YOGI BOY chased between foes then outside a pair of rivals early, navigated the turn in the three path and faded in the drive. MUTT DILLIN chased from off the rail then got crowded nearing the half-mile pole, dropped out of range, trailed two wide then along the rail on the turn and was never a factor. JEWELED SHILLELAGH tracked out of range from well off the rail, chased four deep on the turn and came up empty for the stretch run.

MIDWAY LANE led two wide into the first turn then moved inside while under pressure from MONTANA JET, showed the way inside a pair of rivals up the backstretch, kicked clear midway around the far turn, then widened through the lane and while ridden out to the wire. GHOSTWRITTEN pulled along the inside early, followed the top trio from the rail up the backstretch, tipped three wide at the quarter pole, edged FAUSTO for the place honors but could not make any headway on the winner. FAUSTO stalked in the three path around the first turn, pressed three deep in the middle stages, could not keep up with MIDWAY LANE and chased three then two wide to the stretch, weakened in the lane and lost second. MONTANA JET pressed the pace from outside, between rivals up the backstretch, failed to kick on with the winner past the three-eighths pole, chased two wide then along the rail into the lane and tired. ATTACK NOW trailed on the inside, lagged behind up the backstretch and far turn, then failed to make an impact down the lane.

NIKOLINA stalked from inside, tipped out into the lane and drew alongside A GREAT SHAKING, put a head in front outside the eighth pole and drew away in the last sixteenth. A GREAT SHAKING sprinted clear and steered across to the inside, showed the way freely around the bend, relinquished the lead when confronted by NIKOLINA in upper stretch and stayed on to hold second. EMPRESS MATILDA (GB) chased between rivals up the backstretch, rounded the bend two wide then along the rail on the turn, moved off the fence in the lane and outkicked LADY GAMBITA for third. LADY GAMBITA was closest in pursuit early while tugging the rider along, went two wide through the turn flattened out in the furlong grounds and lost third. WILDFIRE PRINCESS traveled in mid-pack from off the rail, checked off the heels of EMPRESS MATILDA (GB) at the half-mile pole, took the turn two to three wide, angled out in the stretch and failed to rally. COSMO FRIDAY settled inside, saved ground around the bend, moved out at the top of the lane, lacked room from upper to midstretch, angled in the last sixteenth and could not rally. ANGEL BABY trailed on the inside and passed tired rivals. STARDIALED tracked outside a pair of rivals in the early going, rounded the bend three then two wide, steered out in the lane and weakened. EVA LEA steadied a bit prior to the dirt crossing, raced outside a rival off the pace, went three wide into the turn, altered out slightly to the four path at the five-sixteenths pole, exited the bend three wide, angled out in the drive and failed to menace.

MONGOLIAN MAX stalked four wide into the first turn then moved in a few paths, steered back outside in the middle stages, ranged up four then three wide on the far turn, put a head in front in upper stretch, put GRANDISIMO away midstretch and was kept busy to the line. GRANDISIMO vied three deep on the first turn then cleared into the backstretch, crossed over to the inside, took pressure midway up the backstretch, moved clear again at the five-sixteenths pole, confronted by MONGOLIAN MAX turning for home, relinquished the lead shortly after, yielded to that rival midstretch and stayed on for second. CUPID'S CRUSADER trailed off the rail into the first turn then tucked inside, moved off the fence on the backstretch, was on the move in the two path then along the rail again on the far turn, steered off the rail in the lane and flattened out. BALLYHOOLIGAN vied inside a pair of rivals on the clubhouse turn then ceded command to GRANDISIMO approaching the backstretch, moved up to force the issue between rivals in the middle stages, failed to keep up midway around the far turn and weakened in the lane. TEE N OFF vied between rivals into the first turn then took a stalking position, moved up outside the top pair on the backstretch, started to weaken under urging on the second bend and faded in the lane. LAST CALL PAUL hustled from the gate then took a brief hold along the inside prior to the first turn, tracked the speedster from the fence, fell back to last on the far turn, cut the corner into the lane, tired and eased through the final furlong, then walked off the track.

WINDRIBBON pressed the pace from outside, put a head in front dueling on the turn, fought with CAROL'S COMIC in the last sixteenth and gamely prevailed. CAROL'S COMIC stalked the top pair in the two path, cut the corner turning for home, bid from inside in the furlong grounds but could not get by the winner. MELANIE'S TIGER raced up close three deep, took aim four wide leaving the bend but flattened out in the late stages. SUNSET STORM showed the way from inside under pressure from WINDRIBBON up the backstretch, fought head to head and lost the lead around the turn, stayed on to upper stretch then weakened in the furlong grounds. SMARTY NOSE climbed near the inside early, trailed two wide into the turn, raced outside JAMES J. BRADDOCK around the bend and failed to menace. JAMES J. BRADDOCK tracked off the rail then moved inside, saved ground to the stretch and weakened.

SIMPLY JOKING showed the way early from inside with NAFISA applying pressure, inched ahead of that rival on the backstretch, saved ground through the far turn, drew off in upper stretch, asked right handed at the eighth pole and widened under flagging from the crop. NAFISA pressed SIMPLY JOKING from outside around the clubhouse turn, stalked that rival up the backstretch, came under a ride in the two path with three furlongs remaining, watched SIMPLY JOKING kick away at the top of the stretch, then churned on for a clear second. LEMON MUFFIN tucked inside at the back, passed a rival in the middle stages, shifted from the rail to the two path on the far turn and failed to threaten. CATALINA COCKTAIL settled inside, dropped back to last on the backstretch, lagged behind in the three path around the far turn, eased through the lane and walked off.