Eliza Won’t Test Males in May : Aftermath: Filly runs a game race against Personal Hope but will be entered in the Kentucky Oaks rather than the Derby.

Eliza ran a winning race in the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday. But she was running against colts for the first time in her seven-race career.

Positioned perfectly by Pat Valenzuela in the run down the backstretch, slightly off the pace being set by Personal Hope, Eliza made what is becoming her customary move around the far turn.

But Personal Hope didn’t surrender, as Dance For Vanny had to Eliza in the Santa Anita Oaks four weeks earlier, or as her other female rivals had in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in October.

Despite running an impressive 23 2/5-second third quarter, the Mt. Livermore offspring was able to get only a half-length lead on Personal Hope and was unable to stay with him in the final eighth of a mile. Union City beat her by a neck for second.

This was only the second defeat for Eliza, and while she was beaten by only a length, it ended any thoughts owner Allen Paulson had of running her in the Kentucky Derby.

“I think she ran a good race,” Paulson said. “I was disappointed that she didn’t win. Going in, I thought she had a terrific chance. She only lost by a length and ran so gamely.

“As far as the Kentucky Derby is concerned, I’ve got two other pretty good horses (Corby and Diazo). Corby’s one of our best horses, and I’ve got a lot of faith in Diazo. He’s really coming along. Eliza will definitely run next in the Kentucky Oaks (on April 30) if she comes back from this OK.”

This decision will come as a relief to trainer Alex Hassinger and Valenzuela, both of whom sounded eager to get Eliza back in against her own sex.

“She ran her race,” Hassinger said. “She just got beat by a better colt. She couldn’t get the advantage on (Personal Hope) like she’s done against the fillies. He didn’t let her out of his sight.

“Against fillies, she would have been three lengths in front (when she made her move), and they would have never caught her. I’m happy with her race. She tried every step of the way, and Pat rode her well.”

Eliza was losing ground, despite a slow pace of 13 3/5 for the final eighth of a mile. The Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles probably wouldn’t help her.

“The last eighth was pretty slow,” Hassinger said. “That’s not race horse time. It’ll take time to see how she does over the next two weeks. A farm hasn’t won the Derby and Oaks in a long time. We’ll try to take that double home.”

Valenzuela, who has ridden Eliza in all but her first race, said he thought he was on his way to his third victory in the Santa Anita Derby approaching the turn.

“I thought I was going to win it, but (Personal Hope) stayed right with me,” he said. “I tried to shake loose, but I never could get away from him. He stuck to me.

“I thought if I could open up a clear margin entering the stretch, she would go on and we could win it. I could feel the last eighth of a mile that (Gary Stevens’) horse was pretty strong and mine was starting to weaken. My filly ran a game race. She tried so hard. If Mr. Paulson wants to run her in the Oaks, I think that’s a slam dunk.”