Warren’s Showtime takes Wilshire Stakes
ARCADIA » Craig Lewis has been training on the Southern California circuit for decades and has had some good, consistent horses in his barn.
Perhaps none more so than Warren’s Showtime, the in-the-money machine who won the $100,000 Grade III Wilshire Stakes on closing day of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet Sunday.
Warren’s Showtime came charging home from next-to-last in the eight-horse lineup of older fillies and mares under Juan Hernandez, beating pacesetter Leggs Galore by 1 ¼ lengths as the 2-1 favorite. Brooke finished third, a neck behind Leggs Galore.
Suffice to say, Lewis wouldn’t mind a few others like Warren’s Showtime, a 4-year-old daughter of up-and-coming sire Clubhouse Ride, in his barn. She’s won seven of 20 and finished in the money in 18 of her starts.
“I wouldn’t turn ‘em away,” said the 74-yearold Lewis, who trained such notable horses as Hollywood Gold Cup winner Cutlass Reality, Music Merci and Santa Anita Derby winner Larry the Legend. “She’s a special filly, and I feel privileged to train her.”
Leggs Galore set quick fractions of 22.45, 45.97 and 1:10.04 for the 1-mile distance on the lawn, setting the plate for the winner, who was clocked in 1:34.29.
“I was just a little concerned,” Lewis said. “I knew the pace was quick, but Leggs Galore got loose and I wanted more pressure on her. But I could see that Juan had a lot of horse, and when he asked her to run it was game ball.”
Lewis said he hopes to find something for Warren’s Showtime during the Del Mar meet that begins July 16.
“We’ll see,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of opportunity there. There’s a lot of races that she fits. When she’s right, she can run with anybody.”
Leggs Galore is trained by Philip D’Amato, who wrapped up his second winter-spring meet training title. He outdistanced Peter Miller, 52-45.
“I haven’t had one for three or four years (201516),” D’Amato said. “It’s fun. It’s a testament to my owners for giving me good horses and a great staff behind me. I couldn’t be happier.”
Flavien Prat easily won the riding title, prevailing over Hernandez, who scored a riding triple Sunday, 124-92. Prat and D’Amato were honored during winner-circle presentations after the third and sixth races, respectively.
AMERICAN STAKES » Restrainedvengence, ridden by Tyler Baze, overtook 4-5 favorite Neptune’s Storm inside the sixteenth pole and scored a half-length victory in the $100,000 Grade III turf event for 3-year-olds and up.
The 6-year-old gelding, trained by Val Brinkerhoff and sent postward as the 3-1 second choice, put away the favorite and then had to stave off a fast-closing Tiz Plus, a 17-1 longshot who missed second by a half length and had to settle for third with Trevor McCarthy aboard.
Time for the 1 mile was 1:33.87.
FASIG-TIPTON FUTURITY » Trainer Luis Mendez started three horses in the $100,000 five-horse sprint for 2-year-olds, and his entries came in 1-2-3 as 1-5 favorite Big City Lights breezed home by 7 ¼ lengths over Bochombo. Their stablemate, Buehler’s Day Off, finished third.
Big City Lights’ connections had to sweat out a stewards’ inquiry before the result became official.
A Mr. Big colt, Big City Lights made it two for two after breaking his maiden by 12 ½ lengths on May 2 at Santa Anita. Ridden by Hernandez, the winner ran the 5 furlongs in 58.20 seconds.
FASIG-TIPTON DEBUTANTE » Baze scored his second stakes victory of the afternoon, rallying in the stretch to overtake 8-5 favorite Laurel Canyon and then holding off Munny Penny for a 2 ¼-length victory in the $100,000 race for juvenile fillies.