2002 Cal-bred News

$100,000 TVG Cal Cup Distance Handicap
NICOLE'S PURSUIT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 2, 2002) -- Nicole's Pursuit, who came into the race off an allowance win through disqualification, took a head-bob decision from Shalini Saturday in the $100,000 TVG California Cup Distance Handicap at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

Nicole's Pursuit is a 3-year-old daughter of Flying Continental, out of the Pirate's Bounty mare Forest Haven, was bred by Allan Fainbarg and Arnold Feuerstein and foaled at Stockdale Farm.

The filly's half-brother, Affairintheforest, finished second one race earlier in the Kenneth M. Schiffer Cal Cup Starter Sprint Handicap. Affairintheforest, by Black Tie Affair, also was bred by Fainbarg and Feuerstein.

In 12 career starts, Nicole's Pursuit has four wins, all at different distances, from 5 1/2 furlongs to the Distance Handicap route of 1 1/4 miles on the turf. The $60,000 winner's purse raised her career earnings to $223,880 for owner Flying A Farms.

Nicole's Pursuit went off the 5-2 favorite and ran the distance in 2:01.93. She was jockey Kent Desormeaux's second consecutive win on the day and was trained by Craig Lewis.

"That was luck, all luck," said Desormeaux. "I got lucky to get out, because we were so close to them. She was very attentive to the heels in front of her -- she very easily could have clipped heels -- but she got through that unscathed, and she also won the head-bob."

"We pointed for this race since the Del Mar meet," said Lewis. "It was a good race and it was a sweet bob."

Shalini was second and Barely Daylight was third.