Malibu Pier scores in depleted Beverly Hills

Malibu Pier sailed home in the Beverly Hills (Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos)

Spendthrift Farm’s homebred MALIBU PIER (Malibu Moon) easily proved
best in Sunday’s $98,000

Beverly Hills H. (G3), taking the 1 1/4-mile turf test by 1 3/4
lengths on the wire with jockey Brice Blanc aboard. The Carla Gaines
trainee was sent off the 7-5 second choice in the scratched reduced
four-horse field and paid $4.80 and $2.20 after show wagering was
canceled.

First Settler (War Chant) delayed the start of the race when getting
loose during the post parade. The Neil Drysdale ran off around the track
before eventually being caught by the outriders and subsequently
scratched.

With the field now reduced to four, one would think the race would
proceed without a hitch. Unfortunately for Cozi Rosie (Pleasantly
Perfect) that didn’t happen as she broke in and clipped heels with
Restless Soul (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]), who ducked in a bit when the gates
opened. Restless Soul proceeded to the front soon after and set splits
of :25 1/5, :49 4/5, 1:13 4/5 and 1:37 1/5 while tracked by Malibu Pier.
The eventual winner took control near the sixteenth-pole and drew clear
to stop the clock in 2:01.

“It was a beautiful trip. It turned out the way I planned it on paper,” Blanc
said. “I was hoping Joe (Talamo on Restless Soul) would go, like he did in the
Santa Barbara (G2). (Malibu Pier) settled down real nicely for me today and just
kind of picked it up. I thought I could outkick Joe’s horse — I was more
worried about Cozi Rosie getting the jump on me. When Joe picked it up on the
lead, I went right on with him and I just tried to make the same move I did in
the Santa Barbara. She just drew away from them.”

Malibu Pier could be headed to the Beverly D. next out (Benoit Photos)

Malibu Pier’s scorecard now reads 11-6-1-1, $407,200. The chestnut began her
career on turf, winning her first two outings as a sophomore last summer, and
wound up fourth in her stakes debut in the Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. (G3). Malibu
Pier tried the main track in her next pair, and proved herself a multi-surface
performer. She romped by 4 3/4 lengths in an off-the-turf allowance optional
claimer over Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track, and closed for runner-up honors in
the La Brea S. (G1) on Santa Anita’s dirt.

Malibu Pier threw in her only poor race when trailing in the El Encino S.
(G2), but regrouped with a closing third to Cozi Rosie in the Buena Vista H.
(G2). She employed front-running tactics for much of the way in the Santa Ana S.
(G2) next out, but sneakily yielded on the far turn, only to angle to the
outside and come again to earn her first stakes victory. A win in the Santa
Barbara S. (G2), once again over Cozi Rosie and Restless Soul, followed, but the
four-year-old miss posted an uncharacteristic fifth in the Gamely S. (G1) last
out.

“I know what was wrong going into her last race but I really don’t want to
talk about it. She just didn’t go into the race perfect, let’s just put it that
way,” Gaines said. “Not in terms of soundness, she’s a very sound filly.