Headley Extends Annual Tradition

Winning the Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap is becoming a yearly ritual for Bruce Headley.

The trainer won the Grade II for the third time in a row and for the fourth time in five years Saturday when favored Kalookan Queen held off 5-1 second choice Ceeband to win by half a length in 1:152/5 for the 61/2 furlongs at Santa Anita.

In becoming the first female to win the Potrero Grande since its inception in 1983, Kalookan Queen, the 7-10 favorite coupled with Rapidough, gave jockey Alex Solis his third consecutive win in the race. He had been aboard Kona Gold the past two years.

Owned by Luis Asistio, the 6-year-old Lost Code mare has won nine of 20 and the $130,620 she earned Saturday pushed her career bankroll to $760,629.

Last out of the gate in the field of eight, Kalookan Queen moved up quickly to prompt Alyzig, took over after about a half-mile, then withstood challenges from Elaborate, who finished third at 14-1, and Ceeband.

“They gave her a real test today and she answered back,� Solis said. “She was really game today. When she got to the five-sixteenths pole, she started waiting a bit, and I said, ‘mama, don’t do that,’ but the last part I really got down on her and she responded nicely.�

Ceeband, who has always done his best running at Hollywood Park, which opens April 24, finished a neck in front of Elaborate. Then came Reba’s Gold, Rapidough, Pie N Burger, Romanzo and Alyzig.

“We expected her to win today and she did her work,� said Headley, who won the first of his five Potrero Grandes with Halo Folks in 1986. “She’s a real game mare and she showed her class again today.�

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Mayakovsky will be a participant in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday while Royal Gem, who is unbeaten in two races on the turf, will not.

Mayakovsky won the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct earlier in the month in his first start of 2002, and his handlers had been considering the Wood Memorial in New York for his next race, but trainer Patrick Biancone decided to remain here. His rider is likely to be Pat Valenzuela.

“We’re going to run,� Biancone said. “He’ll work a half-mile Tuesday morning.�

Royal Gem, trained by Bobby Frankel, is going to miss the Derby because of a quarter crack on his right foreleg. It would have been Royal Gem’s first start on the dirt.

Right now, eight are considered probable for the Derby, including likely favorite Came Home.

The others, besides Mayakovsky, are Danthebluegrassman, Easy Grades, Jack’s Silver, Lusty Latin, Tracemark and U S S Tinosa.

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Hal’s Hope, the second longest shot in the field at 6-1, led all the way through a very slow pace and captured the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

The Grade I was supposed to be a showcase for Red Bullet. But the 2000 Preakness winner, the 1-2 favorite under jockey Jerry Bailey, finished last in the field of five, beaten more than nine lengths.

A 5-year-old bred, owned and trained by Hal Rose, Hal’s Hope completed the 11/4 miles in 2:024/5 in beating 5-2 second choice Mongoose by a half-length. Winning for the fifth time in eight starts at Gulfstream, Hal’s Hope was ridden by Roger Velez, who was also aboard for the horse’s victory in the 2000 Florida Derby.

Now nine for 31 in his career, Hal’s Hope earned $180,000 and went past $1 million in earnings. He has banked $1,070,922.

It was Red Bullet’s sixth loss in seven races since he surprised Fusaichi Pegasus in the Preakness. “He felt horrible,� Bailey said. “He was hitting the ground really bad. He’s gone through this before and snapped out of it, but he never extended himself in this race today.�

Defending champion Sir Bear was third, nearly six lengths behind Mongoose. American Halo, a 60-1 shot, was fourth.

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Trainer Mark Hennig and owner Ed Evans made it back-to-back stakes wins at Aqueduct when Raging Fever led all the way in the $142,300 Distaff Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

A day after With Ability won the Next Move, Raging Fever, the 6-5 favorite, rolled to a 33/4-length win over 14-1 shot Prized Stamp in 1:213/5 for the seven furlongs. John Velasquez rode the winner.