Texas Ryano © Zoe Metz for Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Warren Williamson’s Texas Ryano, who trailed Ashleyluvssugar in three straight stakes races this year, gained a measure of revenge on his rival Friday with a decisive victory in the featured Grade II $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup.
Sent to the gate as a solid 2-1 second choice in a field of six grass marathoners, Texas Ryano and jockey Joe Talamo overhauled 4-5 favored Ashleyluvssugar at the head of the stretch and went on to score by three and one-quarter lengths in 2:27.92 for the mile and one-half over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Ashleyluvssugar, piloted by Gary Stevens and conceding four pounds to the winner, 124-120, held on well after being passed and was a length and one-quarter ahead of Flamboyant, who nosed out Power Foot for third money. Completing the field were Quick Casablanca and Royal Albert Hall. Withdrawn Friday morning was Ralis.
Texas Ryano, a five-year-old son of Curlin trained by Carla Gaines, was seventh in the Eddie Read last summer as Ashleyluvssugar checked in second. He was third beaten a length in the Del Mar Handicap won by Ashleyluvssugar and a half-length behind his rival when he won the John Henry Turf Classic at Santa Anita in early October.
Texas Ryano, scoring his fifth win in 18 starts, returned $6.60, $3.20 and $2.10 while earning $120,000 to boost his bankroll to $438,355. Ashleyluvssugar paid $2.40 and $2.10, while Flamboyant returned $2.60 to show.
JOE TALAMO (Texas Ryano, winner) -- “I was sitting there loaded and I was smiling. Couldn’t have had a better trip. The only thing that concerned me was the fact that we were going slow and I didn’t want the favorite (Ashleyluvssugar, who was second for most of the trip) to slip away in the lane. So I was up closer and it worked out just right. He ran big.”
GARY STEVENS (Ashleyluvssugar, second) – “Long campaign; it finally caught up with him. He ran well today, but Joe’s horse (Texas Ryano) ran great. My horse is gallant; he always tries. He’s dead honest. They told me that his share (second-place in the race is worth $40,000) makes him a millionaire ($1,007,504). That’s not bad.”
MIKE SMITH (Flayboyant, third) – “He was just going through the motions out there. I’d like to tell you he gave me 100% today, but I can’t. I’m not even sure he gave me 80 (%).”
CARLA GAINES (Texas Ryano, winner) – “We kinda, sorta, unintentionally used the ($4 million Breeders Cup Turf) as a prep for this. We were eligible, he’s our homebred and we don’t get an opportunity like that very often, so we went for it knowing it was a tough spot. He got left at the gate and was so far back in that race he didn’t have a chance, so this was kind of redemptive in a sense. The race didn’t go exactly as I thought, I thought Ashleyluvssugar would be by himself on the lead. But it worked out for us.”
FRACTIONS: :24.60 :49.86 1:14.85 1:39.81 2:04.05 2:27.92
The stakes win was the first in the Hollywood Turf Cup for rider Talamo and the first of the Fall meet for him. He now has 44 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first in the Hollywood Turf Cup for trainer Gaines and her first of the Fall meet. She now has 17 stakes wins at Del Mar.