Mud Route Winner of Californian

Not since Cutlass Reality won both races in 1988 has there been a Californian-Hollywood Gold Cup sweep.

Don’t look for the streak to end this year.

Mud Route, the 9-10 favorite, became a stakes winner for the first time Sunday when he won a watered-down Californian, beating 7-5 second choice Deputy Commander by two lengths in 1:48 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Missing Sunday were Skip Away and defending Gold Cup champion Gentlemen and both are expected to be present for this year’s $1-million Gold Cup, which will be run on June 28. That race will be at equal weights, which means Mud Route will have to carry the same 124 pounds--or eight more than he did Sunday--Skip Away and Gentlemen will be packing.

Second twice and fourth twice in his previous forays into graded stakes, Mud Route, who was ridden by Chris McCarron, tracked the slow pace set by 5-1 third-choice Worldly Ways, took the lead into the stretch and came away to win for the fifth time in 11 starts. The final clocking was the slowest in the Californian since Another Review won in the same time in 1992.

“We had to get his confidence up,� said Ron McAnally, who trains the winner for owner Janis Whitham. “He’s been second to Silver Charm [in the San Fernando and Strub Stakes] and he just couldn’t handle it, he wasn’t that mature yet. Right now, I don’t know if he can beat Silver Charm or not, but we did wind up winning a stake with him.�

Deputy Commander, who is winless in four starts since victories in the Travers and Super Derby in succession last year, finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Worldly Ways, then came Albaha, Don’t Blame Rio and Mountain Bike.

“[Deputy Commander] didn’t want to win, that’s all,� said jockey Corey Nakatani, who rode the colt for father-in-law Wally Dollase. “He ran well, but got outrun.�

Horse Racing Notes

Trainer Ron McAnally and jockey Chris McCarron also teamed to win the $150,000 Estrapade Stakes with favored Proud Fillie. She ran the 1 1/2 miles on turf in 2:28 3/5. . . . There is a Pick Six carryover for Wednesday of $178,687.29. . . . Orville N Wilbur’s will ship to New York Tuesday and run against Coronado’s Quest in the seven-furlong Riva Ridge Stakes on Saturday.