DARK VADER POSTS $22.20 SURPRISE IN RETURN TO MAIN TRACK;
SAN LUIS REY BASED SCATHING RALLIES FOR THURSDAY VICTORY
A return to dirt and the maiden ranks helped Dark Vader spring a 10-1 upset Thursday at Los Alamitos.
This victory came about 90 minutes before Scathing, a 4-year-old gray daughter of Grazen, became the first San Luis Rey based horse to win a race since the tragic Lilac fire swept through the Bonsall, Ca. training facility Dec. 7.
An $8,000 claim by trainer Adam Kitchingman for owner Cody Polansky Oct. 6, Scathing rallied to win the $17,535 starter allowance by 1 ½ lengths in her second start for her current connections.
Scathing, who has won five of 22 and earned $70,341, had to pass a respiratory exam before being cleared to race. Fortunately, Kitchingman’s San Luis Rey stable wasn’t badly affected by the fire, which destroyed eight barns and killed a reported 46 horses.
The final time for the five furlongs was 58.26 seconds. Scathing paid $10.60, $5.40 and $2.80 as the 4-1 fourth choice in the field of seven. Aiming Straight returned $4.20 and $2.80 while finishing a neck in front of 5-2 favorite Papa Mambo. The show price on Papa Mambo was $2.80.
Owned by a partnership that includes Sharon Alesia, Burns Racing LLC and Ciaglia Racing LLC and trained by Peter Eurton, Dark Vader, a 2-year-old Tale of Ekati colt, was up in the final strides to defeat 7-2 second choice Destiny Awaits by a nose.
Out of the Grand Slam mare Dark Obsession, Dark Vader, who was purchased for $150,000 at the OBS March sale, completed the mile in 1:37.17 under jockey Stewart Elliott.
The win pushed the Ohio bred’s earnings to $37,845 in four starts. Prior to Thursday, Dark Vader had finished second in his Los Alamitos debut, beaten a head by eventual Gold Rush Stakes winner City Plan Sept. 7 before he was off the board in a restricted stakes at Belterra Park and seventh of 10 in his turf debut at Del Mar.
Never far off the pace Thursday, Dark Vader collared Destiny Awaits, who stretched out and added blinkers for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert after finishing 10th of 11 in his Nov. 11 sprint debut, under left handed urging from Elliott. He paid $22.20, $8.20 and $4.40.
Destiny Awaits, who was ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, returned $5.40 and $3.80 while finishing a half-length in front of 7-1 shot Draft Pick. The show price on Draft Pick, who is also trained by Eurton, was $4.20.
Completing the order of finish were Canadian Game, Saratoga Morning, Regulate, the 9-10 favorite making his debut for Baffert, and Aquila.
Racing resumes Friday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m.
