Gold Rush V

Records Fall in Gold Rush V

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 24, 2004) – Stakes records fell throughout the day Saturday at Gold Rush V, the $1.3 million spring showcase for California-breds at Hollywood Park.

The new record holders are:
Cheiron, winner of the featured $250,000 Citibank Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds;

Yearly Report, dominant winner in the $200,000 Melair Stakes;
Royally Chosen in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes;

And Del Mar Yearling Sales graduate Beau Soleil in the second running of the $150,000 Tiznow Stakes.

Just missing a record was Arizona invader Black Bart, who led all the way to an upset win in the TVG Khaled Stakes and made jockey Sandi Gann the first woman to win a Gold Rush race.

Yearly Report, winner of the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes in January, returned from a three-month layoff by easily winning the Melair for 3-year-old fillies in stakes-record time for breeders John and Betty Mabee. More than $1 million was bet to show in the race, with more than $972,000 bet on Yearly Report and runner-up entry-mate Western Hemisphere, creating a minus pool of more than $180,000.

Jockey Corey Nakatani and trainer Bob Baffert teamed to win with Yearly Report and Pepper Oaks Farms maiden winner Brand Name, a son of Unbridled’s Song.

Royally Chosen, winner of the California Cup Matron, completed the older distaff double by setting a B. Thoughtful Stakes record and edging the fast-closing Summer Wind Dancer for breeders Old English Rancho and Headley. Old English Rancho, co-breeder of Royally Chosen, also scored as the breeder of Throw Me a Curve, winner of the Golden Eagle Farms allowance stakes.

Beau Soleil, bred by Charlotte Wrather, continued his recent improvement for trainer Jeff Mullins by holding off millionaire Excessivepleasure in his stakes debut.

Harris Farms started the day in winning style, co-breeding the winner of the $150,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes, Moscow Burning, and breeding and owning the winner of the Magali Farms Maiden Stakes for fillies and mares, Alphabet Kisses. Moscow Burning is a former $25,000 claim who has won nearly $400,000.

In the filly allowance race, The Yellow Sheet gave breeder/owner/handicapper Toby Turrell a win in the nightcap.

The on-track attendance was 14,108, compared to 14,600 last year, and $2.917 million on-track handle compared to $3.087 million last year. The total attendance of 25,666 and handle of $17.024 million this year compared to 27,398 and $17.230 million last year.

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