Turkish-Bred Wins at Santa Anita

A racing rarity, if not a first at Santa Anita Park, occurred when Seventh Sense captured the fifth race March 12 at the Southern California track.



With Kent Desormeaux aboard for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, Arif Kurtel's 3-year-old son of City Zip   is believed to be the first Turkish-bred horse ever to win at Santa Anita.



"He's a full brother to (multiple graded stakes winner) Reneesgotzip," said Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward. "I met the owner one time last year. He came here looking to buy Jenny Craig's place (in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.), and he had a filly that was a full sister to Shared Belief that didn't make it to the races. I don't know what happened to her, but the owner's got a lot of horses in Turkey.



"Seventh Sense is a very nice horse. He might have needed his first race. He had been working at (Los Alamitos Race Course) and we couldn't get him as fit as we do when they work here, so he came up a little short first out. But blinkers really focused him and put him right out on the lead."



Seventh Sense led at every call in the 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight event, pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths, and paid $17 as the 7-1 fifth betting choice.