From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 26, 2019)–In his second start off a lengthy layoff, owner/trainer William Morey’s Rye saved every inch of ground under Kent Desormeaux as he successfully defended his title in Saturday’s $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic. A 6-year-old full horse by English Channel, out of the Unusual Heat mare Phi Beta Heat, Rye got a mile and one eighth on turf in 1:47.56.
One of four Saturday stakes restricted to horses bred or sired in California, the Unusual Heat Turf Classic is part of the lucrative Golden State Series, which is sponsored by the CTBA.
Breaking from post position three in a field of nine older horses, Rye had three horses beat around the Club House turn and appeared comfortable as he maintained a stalking position into the far turn under a long hold from Desormeaux.
A quarter mile out, it appeared Rye would go for an opening three off the fence, just to the outside of Accountability and Joe Talamo, but Desormeaux instead dove to the rail and with favored Ashleyluvssugar hung wide, prevailed easily.
Idle since May 20 prior to running fourth, beaten five lengths in six furlong tune-up on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields Jan. 10, Rye was off at 5-1 and paid $13.40, $6.40 and $5.00.
Bred in California by H & E Ranch, Rye, who notched his third career stakes win, improved his overall mark to 21-9-0-5 and with the winner’s check of $120,000, increased his earnings to $446,118.
Ashleyluvssugar, who bobbled a bit at the break, was nonetheless mid-pack while well within himself around the first turn and onto the backstretch, all the while saving ground under Tyler Baze. Fifth at the quarter pole, he wheeled six-wide turning for home and was clearly second best on the day, finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of Accountability.
Off as the 5-2 favorite, Ashleyluvssugar paid $4.60 and $3.80.
Accountability, off at 17-1 with Talamo, paid $8.00 to show while finishing three quarters of a length in front of pacesetter King Abner.
Note: The Turf Classic was win number 5,999 for Desormeaux, a longtime time member of racing’s Hall of Fame.
Fractions on the race were 24.01, 47.73, 1:11.74 and 1:36.07.