Takarian Pulls Off Upset Again

If he’s still running when he’s 8 years old, watch out for Takarian in the 2003 American Handicap.

For the second time in three years, the Irish-bred gelding was the upset winner of the Grade II, which was run for the 62nd time Wednesday at Hollywood Park.

Trained by Beau Greely for a partnership that includes his father John, Andrea Pollack’s Columbine Stable and Tom Nichols, the son of Doyoun beat 10-1 shot Fighting Falcon by a length in 1:48 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Coupled in the wagering with Raypour, who finished sixth, Takarian returned $30.40, less than half what he paid when he won the American in 1999. He was 31-1 that day when beating Montemiro by a neck.

As he was two years ago, Garrett Gomez was the rider Wednesday as Takarian earned only his second victory in his last 17 starts.

Touch Of The Blues, the 13-10 favorite, made the lead through very slow fractions (25 2/5, 49 4/5, and 1:12 4/5) while being tracked by the winner, then faded to fifth under jockey Mike Smith.

“I’d been working this horse and he had been working real well,” said Gomez, who won his eighth stakes of the meet, second to Chris McCarron’s 12. “I thought he might run a decent race today, so I opted to ride this horse over [Raypour]. I guess I made the right decision.”

There were 40 winning tickets on the Pick Six on Wednesday, worth $57,728.40.

Chasing a $691,095 carry-over from Sunday, bettors wagered $2,895,885, creating a total Pick Six pool of $3,586,980.

Jerry Bailey, the top money-winning jockey in the country in 2001, added to his bankroll.

Having entered July with a lead of more than $4.6 million over Jorge Chavez, Bailey won two of the three graded stakes run at Belmont Park.

After taking the $100,000 Poker Stakes with odds-on favorite Affirmed Success, who held off In Frank’s Honor, Bailey won the $150,000 Tom Fool Handicap aboard 6-1 shot Exchange Rate, edging Say Florida Sandy in 1:21 for the seven furlongs.

The $200,000 Prioress Stakes, a Grade I, went to favored Xtra Heat, who won for the 14th time in 16 starts for owner Kenneth Taylor and trainer John Salzman. Rick Wilson rode the 3-year-old Dixieland Heat filly, who completed the six furlongs in 1:08 1/5. Above Perfection, who had been unbeaten in three starts at Hollywood Park, was second under Chavez.

More should be known about the future of Tiznow, the 2000 horse of the year, after he gallops Friday under jockey Chris McCarron.

Bothered by back problems since April, the 4-year-old son of Cee’s Tizzy hasn’t raced since winning the Santa Anita Handicap in March and hasn’t been able to resume serious training.

“He’s not getting any worse, but he’s also not getting any better,” trainer Jay Robbins said.