Big Pond © Benoit Photo
George Krikorian’s homebred Big Pond fired through the lane Thursday at Del Mar and came away a one-length winner of the 38th edition of the Fleet Treat Stakes for 3-year-old Cal-bred fillies.
The daughter of Mr. Big ran seven furlongs in 1:23.37 under Ramon Vazquez to pick up a first prize of $99,750 from the gross purse of $175,000. It was her second win in only her second start and increased her earnings to $136,350.
Finishing second in the dash was Jaime Renella’s Chismosa, who had a length and a quarter on Cady, Kasparoff or Leatherman, et al’s Ceiling Crusher, who went off as the stout 3-10 favorite.
Big Pond paid $9.80 to win and $5.80 to place. Second-place finisher Chismosa paid $5.20 to place. All three of the runners paid $2.10 to show.
Six horses ran in the Fleet Treat, which was shortened when Tom’s Regret scratched earlier in the day.
Racing resumes at Del Mar tomorrow with the track’s first 4 p.m. Friday post.
RAMON VAZQUEZ (Big Pond, winner) – “No, no special instructions for me. I know this filly. I rode her for her first win at Santa Anita last month. She broke well, then on the turn when I asked her she finished up nicely. And the more distance the better for her. I’m sure of that.”
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Ceiling Crusher, third) – “I missed the break. She got bumped away from there. But no excuses. She just didn’t do her thing today.”
TIM YAKTEEN (Big Pond, winner) – “I liked the way the race set up for us. We had a good draw. She has always shown us some promise in the mornings. She was gifted as a 2-year-old and we had to give her a break but his was a big step up for her taking on the likes of Chismosa and Ceiling Crusher and she showed up today.”
LEANDRO MORA (Assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill, Ceiling Crusher, third) – “She’s fine. There was a lot of bumping and that’s how horse who like to win by many lengths get beat. She was boxed in for a long, long time and it’s the first time she’s ever had dirt in her face. It’s a good lesson.”
FRACTIONS: :22.22 :45.10 1:10.33 1:23.37
The stakes was the second of the meet for rider Vazquez, but the first for trainer Yakteen.
The stakes win was the sixth at Del Mar for Vazquez and his first in this race.
The stakes win was the seventh at Del Mar for Yakteen and his first in this race.
The winning owner is George Krikorian.