Everest Stables Inc.’s homebred SAILORS SUNSET (Petionville) was the lone
entrant in the five-horse field at double digit odds in the $100,000
Vernon O.
Underwood S. (G3) at Hollywood Park, but at the finish it looked like the
gelding should have been 4-5. Breaking alertly under Jon Court, the sophomore
was never headed en route to finishing six furlongs in scintillating 1:07 3/5
and earning his first graded tally. The upsetter was disregarded at 13-1 and
paid $28.80, $6.40 and $2.40.
Trained by Marcelo Polanco, Sailors Sunset went right to the front, setting
rapid splits of :21 4/5 and :44 for the opening four furlongs. Around the far
turn the leader was confronted by 5-2 second choice Declan’s Moon (Malibu Moon),
who appeared to have the momentum, but in the matter of a few jumps Sailors
Sunset
dispatched that one and it was over. The gray opened up an insurmountable lead
in midstretch and kept the hard-charging Siren Lure (Joyeux Danseur) at bay
while 1 3/4 lengths clear at the finish.
Siren Lure, who went off as the even-money favorite, paid $2.80 and $2.10
while completing the $31.50 exacta ($1). Declan’s Moon was another three lengths
back in third, good for $2.20 while finishing off the $41.65 trifecta ($1).
Turnbolt (Deputy Minister) was next and trailed by Premium Saltine (Salt Lake),
while Zanzibar (Arg) (Luhuk) was withdrawn.
Sailors Sunset upped his mark to 13-5-2-1, while boosting his earnings to
$200,610. The gelding owns stakes wins in the Foothill S. and Saguaro S.
Bred in the Bluegrass State, the winner is out of the stakes heroine Cayman
Sunset (Wolf Power [SAf]) and has an unnamed yearling full sister.