‘Over The Bay Wins by a Neck

In winning his second consecutive Grade II race in Sunday’s $250,000 Del Mar Handicap, Star Over The Bay set an unofficial record.

Although his final time of 2:12.71 for the 1 3/8 miles didn’t match the course record of 2:12.07 set by Crazy Ensign a year ago, the 6-year-old Cozzene gelding had the distinction of being joined by more people in the winner’s circle than any horse in local memory.

By rough estimate, there were 100 revelers for Star Over The Bay’s second victory in three races since he was claimed by trainer Mike Mitchell for a partnership for $80,000 on May 16.

Using the same tactics he had in winning the Sunset Handicap on July 18 at Hollywood Park, Star Over The Bay, who raced coupled in the betting with also-ran Murano, immediately opened a clear lead under leading jockey Tyler Baze, then repelled a late challenge by Sarafan, the 3-1 third choice, to win by a neck.

Apparently all the folks packed into the winner’s circle didn’t bet much. Otherwise, the Star Over The Bay entry would have been favored. Instead, the winner paid $7.20 as the 5-2 second choice. Continuously, who had finished a nose behind Star Over The Bay in the Sunset and who had been third in this race in 2003, was the 2-1 choice. He failed to threaten under jockey Kent Desormeaux, winding up seventh.

“He’s an awesome horse,” said Baze after Star Over The Bay gave him his fifth stakes victory of the meet. “It’s exciting to ride one like him. He digs in so hard.

“He was still plenty relaxed on the back side....When [Sarafan] came up outside him, he wouldn’t let him go by. He just ran so hard. He’s a treat.”

Looking for his second win of the season at 1 3/8 miles, Sarafan had to settle for the runner-up spot, but with the $50,000 he collected for owner Gary Tanaka, he surpassed $2.5 million in career earnings.

“Star Over The Bay is a runner,” said Corey Nakatani, who rode Sarafan. “When Mike took him, I told him he had made a [great] claim. My horse ran great. The other horse just ran a little better.”

Moscow Burning, one of two 4-year-old fillies in the race, finished third, two lengths behind Sarafan and a head in front of Dimitrova, the other female.

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Lady Tak, the 4-5 favorite, held off 5-1 shot My Trusty Cat and defending champion Harmony Lodge to win the $250,000 Ballerina Handicap on Sunday at Saratoga.

Owned by Bill Heiligbrodt and trained by Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old Mutakddim led throughout under Jerry Bailey, but was life and death to prevail by a head.

In winning for the ninth time in 16 starts, she completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.09, and the $150,000 winner’s share of the purse put her over $1 million in her career.

There was an inquiry involving the stretch run, and Richard Migliore, who rode Harmony Lodge, claimed foul against John Velazquez, the rider of My Trusty Cat, but there were no changes to the original order of finish.

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Blackdoun, who will try to complete a sweep of Del Mar’s three-race series for 3-year-old grass runners in the $400,000 Del Mar Derby a week from today, worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on the turf Sunday morning for trainer Julio Canani.

The winner of the second division of the Oceanside Stakes and the La Jolla Handicap in his first two starts in the U.S., Blackdoun could have as many as nine opponents in the 1 1/8 -mile Derby.