Bally's Charm Romps in Snow Chief Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Bally's Charm wins the Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita Park
After suffering an injury last weekend that forced her to take off several mounts, Jessica Pyfer came back strong to take the $150,000 Snow Chief Stakes Presented by City National Bank May 28 aboard Bally's Charm .
Last year's Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey was kicked by a horse in the paddock, but trainer Jeff Mullins had faith that she would be back to 100% in time to pilot Bally's Charm in the lucrative race for California-breds at Santa Anita Park.
“I had one rider ask me if I might need somebody, but I said Jessica would be good," Mullins remarked. "She knows him, she’s been on him every time, and she’s worked him every time. I wasn’t going to do that.”
Breaking on top as the 2-1 second choice in the field of six, Bally's Charm galloped to the front and dictated a leisurely pace of :24.11, :49.45, and 1:13.60. Unchallenged around the bend, the gelding widened his lead and rolled down the lane under left-handed urging from Pyfer. The pair hit the wire 4 1/2 lengths in front and clocked 1 1/8 miles on a firm turf course in 1:50.21.
Royal 'n Rando secured second by a head over favored Smuggler's Run in third.
“I don’t even know how much we won by, but he’s always just got something else," Pyfer said, who recorded her first stakes win as a journeyman.
“I’m just so blessed to be here and to be able to ride these kinds of horses and I just hope we can keep moving forward from this," she said. "I want to be here, I want to be in the winner’s circle, and I love this game.”
A homebred for Red Baron's Barn and Vaya Con Suerte, Bally's Charm increased his earnings to $191,340, registering his third win from six trips to the post. He is by Roi Charmant , out of the winning Arch mare Ballydonnell Drive.
The Snow Chief was one of five state-bred stakes races comprising of California Gold Rush Day that are part of the CTBA-sponsored Golden State series eligible California-bred or sired horses.
The $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes kicked off the card. Ridden by J.J. Hernandez, favored Carmelita's Man rallied from the back of the pack to post a three-quarters of a length victory over pacesetter Jimmy Blue Jeans . The T. Lawrence and Ann Jett colorbearer, trained by Dean Peterson, raced one mile on a firm turf course in 1:37.26. The 5-year-old son of Mucho Macho Man —Camerlita was bred by Richard Barton Enterprises and Robert Traynor.
Despite ducking the California sensation Brickyard Ride in Sunday's Triple Bend Stakes (G2), Tigre di Slugo could fare no better than third behind Desmond Doss and Fashionably Fast in the $100,000 Thor's Echo Stakes. Under J.J. Hernandez, Desmond Doss stalked the leaders in third position early before tipping three-wide into the stretch, pulling away for a 3 1/4-length score. He stopped the timer in 1:09.70 for the six furlongs on a fast main track. The 6-year-old son of Grazen —Malley Girl is a homebred for Nick Alexander and is trained by Steven Miyadi.
Big Switch takes the Melair Stakes
After two failed starts against open company, George Krikorian's homebred Big Switch romped by 4 1/2 lengths in the $150,000 Melair Stakes. The heavy favorite in a field of 6, Big Switch was forwardly placed early before taking command at the six-furlong marker under jockey J.J. Hernandez, advancing her lead with every stride to hit the wire in 1:44.87 for the 1 1/16-miles on the main track. Trained by John Sadler, Big Switch is a dark bay or brown 3-year-old filly by Mr. Big and out of the Malibu Moon mare Two Faced Moon. She previously captured the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes Presented by PNC as a 2-year-old.
Alice Marble gets up to win the Fran's Valentine Stakes
In the last stakes of the day, Alice Marble justified her 1-2 odds with with a 3/4 of a length tally in the $100,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes for older fillies and mares going one mile on the turf. A narrow runner-up to Brooke Marie last time out in the Monrovia Stakes (G2T) against open company, the Nick Alexander homebred was bumped not once, but twice during the race—first at the break, and again when the field raced into the far turn. The resilient daughter of Grazen, left with no running room at the top of the stretch, forged her way between horses and flew home a winner over Sassyserb in 1:37.67. Trained by Phil D'Amato, jockey J.J. Hernandez was aboard Alice Marble, the fifth winner on a remarkable Saturday for the leading Santa Anita rider.
Video: Crystal Water S. (BT)
Video: Thor's Echo S. (BT)
Video: Snow Chief S. presented by City National Bank (BT)
Video: Melair S. (BT)