Edmund Gann’s MAJOR SUCCESS (Mazel Trick) split rivals in the final strides
to capture Saturday’s $150,000
Palos Verdes H. (G2) at Santa Anita. The
five-year-old rated in second behind Papa to Kinzie (Boston Harbor), who opened
the six-furlong affair in :21 3/5 before relinquishing that advantage to Attila’s
Storm (Forest Wildcat), who passed the next two checkpoints in :44 2/5 and :56 2/5.
Major Success made his move leaving the turn three wide and bidding between
Attila’s Storm on the rail and Jet West (Western Fame) in deep stretch to
prevail under urging by jockey Tyler Baze, completing six furlongs in 1:09 1/5
over a fast track.
“He was beaten — he came back,” said trainer Bobby Frankel. “He was gone by
about three-quarters of a length.”
The winning dark bay returned $8, $4.60 and $2.80 for the win at 3-1. Jet
West was a neck second, paying $4.40 and $2.60 at 3-1 while topping off the
$18.40 exacta ($1). Attila’s Storm was another head back in third to give $2.20
as the 3-2 favorite and ended a $48.20 trifecta (6-2-3) ($1). Gray Black N White
(Quiet American), Stalking the Tiger (Twin Spires), Papa to Kinzie and With
Distinction (Storm Cat) completed the order of finish.
“Boy this is disappointing,” said Ted West, trainer of Jet West. “We’re two
heads (referring to Jet West’s head defeat in the El Conejo H. [G3] on January
2) away from being undefeated this year. You hate to be second when you really
feel like you could’ve won.”
Bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Zureick and William Russell, the dark
bay is out of the winning Veil Dance (Damascus), who has also produced an
unnamed two-year-old filly by Honour and Glory as well as an unnamed yearling
colt by Buddha.
Purchased for $200,000 at the 2003 Calder Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training
Sale, Major Success took his first stakes score here and now shows a line of
9-5-0-1 with $208,700 in earnings.
This was Frankel’s third stakes victory of the meet and his 116th all-time at
Santa Anita, placing him second to Charlie Whittingham, who captured 204. Frankel
also won the 1983 Palos Verdes with Fighting Fit.