SANTA ANITA : Torrid Solis Rides 3 More Winners

After winning nine of the 45 races at Santa Anita last week, Alex Solis doesn’t appear to be ready to cool off.

Third behind Kent Desormeaux and Eddie Delahoussaye in the jockey standings, Solis won three more races Tuesday, including the $83,500 La Habra Stakes aboard Hopeful Amber.

At 7-2, the 3-year-old Tiffany Ice filly was by far the shortest price of Solis’ Tuesday trio. Earlier, he won the fourth race with Fighting Guest at $27.80, then came back in the fifth at $61.80 aboard Rosebitt.

Since March 8, Solis has won with 16 of his 53 mounts, and only five of those winners were favorites.

Making her first start with blinkers, Hopeful Amber rallied wide into the stretch and defeated 9-1 shot Peaceful Road by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:13 2/5 for the distance of about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf.

“When you ride horses like this and Bertrando, it’s easy,” Solis said. “You just try to guide them and not let them get into trouble. Ever since I came here, I’ve had a goal in my mind to learn the business the best I can. These are the best riders anywhere. Watching these guys every day, you’ve got to learn.”

The La Habra was the fourth victory in six starts for Hopeful Amber, and she is perfect in two tries on grass.

“She has really found her home on the grass,” trainer Lewis Cenicola said. “I’ll try to keep her on turf. There’s not much coming up around here. If I can’t find something, maybe I’ll ship her somewhere.”

Peaceful Road, coupled with Miss Iron Smoke in the betting, finished a neck in front of Wine ‘N Music, the longest shot in the field at 37-1; then came Alpine Queen, Rae Down Under, Miss Iron Smoke, Green Vitamins, Captivant and Top Bank, the 2-1 favorite.

Horse Racing Notes

Lotta Glory Beau’s, the morning-line favorite, was scratched from the La Habra Stakes. . . . Gary Stevens, who rode two winners Tuesday, left immediately after the eighth race to be with his wife, Toni. She was in labor with their fourth child. . . . Eddie Delahoussaye also rode two winners Tuesday.