Splendid Blended Rallies to Win Vanity Handicap

The $750,000 American Oaks wasn’t the only showcase for a talented 3-year-old filly Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Splendid Blended, the 5-2 second choice in the $300,000 Vanity Handicap, defeated her elders, winning the Grade I in a desperate finish over 14-1 shot Island Fashion.

In taking the Grade I for owner Peter Vegso and trainer Neil Drysdale, Splendid Blended became the first 3-year-old to win the Vanity since It’s In The Air scored the first of her two victories in the race in 1979.

Spoiling what many believed would be Andujar’s third consecutive victory on the main track, Splendid Blended didn’t have the smoothest of trips. At least early.

Under jockey Jerry Bailey, the Unbridled’s Song miss drifted out on the first turn after breaking from the rail and surrendered at least a couple of lengths to Andujar, the 3-5 favorite who was in front.

After recovering, Splendid Blended sat second, moved up to engage Andujar approaching the stretch, then held on to beat Island Fashion by a head in 1:49.33 for the 1 1/8 miles.

In remaining perfect in three races at Hollywood Park, Splendid Blended prevailed despite a final eighth of a mile that took nearly 14 seconds to complete.

“That was an adventure,” said Bailey, who has 22 graded stakes wins this year, tops among jockeys.

“She wanted to go on the first turn and I was trying to ease her back a little bit. She didn’t negotiate it very well, which wasn’t high on my list, and it cost us a couple of lengths.

“But she recovered very quickly and was very professional the rest of the way. I would have hated getting beat by a nose with all that happened on the first turn.”

A winner by a combined 17 1/2 lengths in her first two appearances on dirt, Andujar finished third, beaten almost a length by the winner.

“I guess as [track announcer] Trevor Denman always says, it shows you that they are not machines,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

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In the day’s third Grade I, Unfurl The Flag, a California-bred gelding, won for the fourth time in five starts at Hollywood Park and picked up his biggest victory in the $350,000 Triple Bend Handicap.

Owned by a partnership that includes Gaylord Ailshie, Tom Harris and Bruce Rose, and trained by Dave Bernstein, the 5-year-old son of Bertrando dueled with Forest Grove for most of the way, easily pulled away early in the stretch and went on to win by two lengths.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, the 5-1 shot ran the seven furlongs in 1:20.95.

McCann’s Mojave, a 5-1 shot, and Bear In The Woods, the longest shot in the field of 13 at 60-1, finished in a dead heat for second.

Roi Charmant unseated Victor Espinoza at the start, but both horse and jockey escaped injury.

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In the two other stakes on the program, Whilly, a 7-1 shot, led throughout and defeated 9-5 favorite King Of Happiness by half a length in the $250,000 American Handicap and 3-5 favorite Intercontinental won the $200,000 Royal Heroine, a Grade III.

The Royal Heroine was reduced to a field of five after Mea Domina, Fencelineneighbor, Valentine Dancer and Irgunette were scratched.

Owned by Paul Boghossian and his sons Paul Jr. and Christopher and trained by O’Neill, Whilly ran the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46.30 under Felipe Martinez.

Bailey was aboard Intercontinental for Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bobby Frankel and the 5-year-old Danehill mare ran the mile on turf in 1:34.33. She has won 10 of 18.