Sunday, August 29, 2010

HORSE RACING / Track owner ties big bonus to Preakness

HORSE RACING / Track owner ties big bonus to Preakness

HORSE RACING / Track owner ties big bonus to Preakness

Posted: 29 Aug 2010 05:48 AM PDT

(08-28) 21:46 PDT -- MI Developments - which owns Golden Gate Fields, Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park and Pimlico - has announced a $5.5 million bonus program centered on the Preakness.

The bonus - $5 million for the owner and $500,000 for the trainer - will be earned if a horse wins the Preakness, which is held at Pimlico in Baltimore, after winning designated Triple Crown prep races at MID's other tracks.

The Golden Gate Fields race included in the program is the El Camino Real Derby, and the winner of that race will qualify for the bonus if it also wins the Santa Anita Derby.

"We're providing a major incentive to owners and trainers to make plans to run at MID tracks this coming winter and spring," Santa Anita President George Haines said.

Richard's Kid repeats: Mike Smith has ridden Richard's Kid only twice for trainer Bob Baffert, but both times it resulted in victories in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Last year, Richard's Kid won the 1 1/4-mile race by a neck in a 24-to-1 upset; on Saturday, his late rally produced a victory by three-quarters of a length as the 9-to-2 second choice in the field of 10.

Richard's Kid collected his eighth win in 26 starts and earned $600,000 to push his total to $1,566,370. Dakota Phone, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, made a nice late run from last place to finish third - a half-length behind runner-up Crowded House.

Baffert also won the Grade 1, $298,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes as El Brujo ($9.60) got the jump on trainer Jeff Bonde's Smiling Tiger and led throughout in a half-length victory over Crown of Thorns. Baffert had to enjoy his Del Mar wins from afar because he was at Saratoga, where he won the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride Stakes with Rapport.

Smiling Tiger, who gave Bonde his first Grade 1 victory in the Bing Crosby Stakes on Aug. 1 at Del Mar, finished 4 3/4 lengths behind El Brujo in third Saturday as the 13-to-10 favorite.

In the Grade 2, $190,000 Del Mar Mile, Enriched - a one-time $32,000 claim and a half-brother to Lava Man - controlled the pace and validated his 2-to-1 favoritism with a victory by three-quarters of a length over Meteore.

Briefly: In Grade 1 races for 3-year-olds Saturday at Saratoga, Afleet Express ($16) edged Fly Down by a short nose to win the $1 million Travers Stakes and Discreetly Mine ($4.10) won his third straight sprint in the $250,000 King's Bishop Stakes.

This article appeared on page B - 9 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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