ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 24, 2015) – Win machine Alert Bay survived a steward’s inquiry to stretch his win streak to five in Saturday’s roughly run $250,000 California Cup Turf Classic, presented by City National Bank, for Golden State Series eligibles at Santa Anita.
Alert Bay is by City Zip, out of the Dushyantor mare Hickory, was bred by Thomas Bell & Ross McLeod, is owned by Peter Redekop, is trained by Blaine Wright and was ridden by Tyler Baze.
“We scooted out of a tough one there today,” said Wright. “We could have come down. Tyler thought he had room. He said he knew it was tight, but he thought the other horse was (empty) and he thought we would stay up. Myself, I sweat these things out a little bit.
“…Mr. Redekop has put some good horses in my hands, and this horse has taken me to a level where you certainly want to be. I’m very proud to be a part of it.”
Alert Bay has eight wins in 14 starts, earnings of $754,707 and was coming off a win in the Dec. 26 Mathis Brothers Mile.
But he had to survive with a decision by a majority of the three stewards after appearing to squeeze G. G. Ryder, who took up along the rail right where shadows from the grandstand were falling across the track. The stewards ruled that the incident did not cost G. G. Ryder a position in the final results.
“I had to thread the needle there (at the rail, a furlong out), but Rafael (Bejarano, aboard G.G. Ryder, who took up when Alert Bay went for the opening) was backing up anyway,” said Baze. “Going into the far turn, I had some trouble. Bejarano didn’t go into the turn real smooth and he came out and bumped me and I was also getting pressure from the horses to our outside…He’s an unbelievable horse to ride and he’s got a will to win.”
“I had a great position,” said Bejarano. “I was in my lane and the winner didn’t have room to come in, but he came in on me and crossed us. There wasn’t enough room, so it completely shut me off and I had to stop my horse.”
Alert Bay, who went off the lukewarm 5-2 favorite, ran the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:47.62 and won by a neck over Boozer, with Patriots Rule third in the field of 10.
For Alert Bay’s pedigree, click http://www.pedigreequery.com/alert+bay4.