Mula Gula Wraps Up Another Derby Win

Mula Gula is now a Derby winner in both halves of the state.

About a month after his decisive victory in the Bay Meadows Breeders’ Cup Derby, the 3-year-old son of Lil E. Tee returned to Southern California and captured the $250,000 Oak Tree Derby on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Gary Stevens for owner Steven Gula and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, the 3-1 second choice in the field of nine won by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:46 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf.

No slouch on the main track where he has been on the board in seven of nine starts, Mula Gula has moved to a different level since he was introduced to the turf this summer.

He has won three of four on the grass, taking a division of the Oceanside at Del Mar before his two Derby scores.

Relaxed in third most of the trip, Mula Gula took the lead from pacesetter Fighting Falcon in midstretch and went on to win for the fifth time in 13 career starts.

Eagleton was second, a neck ahead of Super Quercus, who was making his first start in nearly a year for trainer Bobby Frankel. Prime Timber, the 5-2 favorite on the strength of his Oct. 1 victory in his turf debut, finished fifth.

“The connections were concerned about him getting rank early, but he settled really nicely for me,� said Stevens, who won two other races on Saturday’s card. “I got on him this week and just kind of cantered him around the turf course and blew him out about a quarter of a mile and got a feel for him.

“He came home really powerfully and should improve with age because he’s still green and looking around. He reminds me an awful lot of [multiple-stakes winner] Ladies Din at this time last year. He’s so good and does things so easily that he just loses focus.�

Mula Gula’s victory pushed his career earnings to $400,230, not bad for a colt his owner purchased for $6,000.

“This is my very first horse and we’re absolutely thrilled with him,� Gula said. “I have 20 people down here for this race and I flew several people down.

“The talent was so great in this race, the real concern was whether he’d have the ability to finish in the money. Believe me, I would have been satisfied with fourth. But to win this race the way he did, I’m on cloud nine.�

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Olympic Charmer, who won her turf debut in the Possibly Perfect three weeks ago, is the 5-2 favorite against nine other 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap at one mile.

Trained by Ron McAnally for his wife Debbie, Olympic Charmer will break from the rail and again be ridden by Chris McCarron.

The daughter of Olympio led all the way in the Possibly Perfect, but may have to rate off the pace with Bright Magic in the field. Owned by Clement Hirsch and trained by Warren Stute, Bright Magic has won four of her last five, all on the front end.

Completing the field are Lady At Peace, who has won three of six on the grass and was second in the Possibly Perfect, Tycoon’s Dolce, who has won three times in Europe, Dyna’s Club, Camargo, Perfect Six, Aviate, Winterwish and Speaking Of Time.

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Although they still have to be confirmed by the Senate, Sheryl Granzella and Marie Moretti were appointed to the California Horse Racing Board on Friday by Gov. Gray Davis.

A graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College, Granzella has served as the special projects manager for the Richmond Sanitary Service for the past 10 years while Moretti is involved in public relations.

Horse Racing Notes

Gander, the 2-1 favorite, wore down Phil The Grip in the final strides to win the $250,000 Empire Classic Handicap, the biggest race on New York Showcase Day at Belmont Park. Other winners in the races restricted to New York-breds included Office Miss in the $150,000 Ticonderoga Handicap, Maddie May in the $100,000 Maid Of The Mist Stakes, Pooska Hill in the $125,000 Hudson Handicap, Top C Jim in the $150,000 Mohawk Handicap and Jena Jena in the $125,000 Iroquois Handicap. . . . Jockey Laffit Pincay, who had not ridden the previous two days, won with 14-1 shot Rare Catch in the seventh race and is now 30 behind Bill Shoemaker’s all-time record of 8,833 victories.