Washington-bred Reba Is Tops passes Trooper Seven on earnings list | Emerald Down Horse Racing

Although she didn’t win, Washington-bred Reba Is Tops ran another big race Sunday at Santa Anita to finish third in the $100,000 Monrovia Stakes, Grade 3, on the hillside turf course.

January 3, 2011 6:29 pm
Mizzen You romps in the second race at Golden Gate Fields
Mizzen You romps in the second race at Golden Gate Fields

Although she didn’t win, Washington-bred Reba Is Tops ran another big race Sunday at Santa Anita to finish third in the $100,000 Monrovia Stakes, Grade 3, on the hillside turf course.

The 7-year-old mare finished third, beaten 1-¾ lengths, in the race won by 7-to-10 favorite Unzip Me in 1 minute 12 .72 seconds for 6 ½ furlongs. Considering Unzip Me was coming off a third against males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, and was allowed to set soft fractions of :22.34 and :44.80 in the Monrovia, it was a sharp effort by Reba Is Tops.

In fact, Reba Is Tops and jockey Pat Valenzuela challenged Unzip Me and Rafael Bejarano into the stretch while being floated wide, drew within a head at the eighth pole, then were out-finished and lost second place late to Broken Dreams.

Since leaving Emerald Downs for California, Reba Is Tops has placed in nine stakes, mainly turf sprints, including stakes victories at Hollywood Park, Bay Meadows and Golden Gate. She also missed by a nose in both the Las Cienegas Handicap Grade 3 at Santa Anita and the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar.

The 2009 Washington Horse of the Year, Reba Is Tops has an overall mark of 12-6-4 in 27 starts, and the $12,000 earned Sunday pushed her past Trooper Seven into 34th place all-time among Washington-breds with $373,229. Owners Kenny Marshall, Eric Schweiger, Dave Wakefield and Gordy Jarnig have discussed breeding their prized mare in 2011, but might race her once more before the retirement.

MIZZEN YOU SMOKES HOME AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS

Howard Hammer’s Mizzen You—another successful claim story—began 2011 the same way she ended 2010. The now 5-year-old Washington-bred mare by Mizzen Mast blew away $16,000 claimers by 6 ½ lengths on the main track at Golden Gate Fields, Sunday, Jan. 2.

And in her previous start last month, Mizzen You scored by 2 ¼ lengths against $16,000 claimers on the turf at Golden Gate.

The players have been slow to catch on: Mizzen You has paid $10 and $12.60 for $2 win tickets, while Hammer has earned checks of $12,000 and $10,800 for the recent victories. Add on the $21,620 earned for a $15.80 upset in the $40,000 Belle Roberts Stakes last September, and it’s up to $46,800 in five starts, all routes, since being claimed for $15,000 last August.

Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Mizzen You’s last three wins have all come on different surfaces—dirt at Emerald Downs, and turf and the synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate.

ODDS & ENDS

  • Vicky Baze is on pace to become only the fourth female rider in North American history to ride 2,000 winners. Baze, who celebrated her 46th birthday Christmas Day, has 1,983 wins in a career that began June 6, 1985 with a victory aboard Sir Jeppi at Longacres. She currently is tied for ninth with 20 wins at Turf Paradise, and should set the milestone before that meet ends May 8. Julie Krone, Rosemary Homeister and Patricia Cooksey are women jockeys with 2,000 wins.
  • Senor Rojo recently was named 2010 British Columbia Horse of the Year. Trained by David Forster, the 4-year-old Out of Place gelding won the Winston Churchill and BC Premiers at Hastings Racecourse, and was runner-up to Noosa Beach in the Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald Downs…Washington Racing Hall of Fame trainer Kathy Walsh saddled four straight winners (two at Santa Anita, two at Hollywood Park) before finishing fourth with Alexandra Marie in the first race Sunday at Santa Anita.

    Trainer Mike Chambers continues along in first place at Turf Paradise with a 30-for-53 mark (57 percent) thru Sunday.

  • Also at Turf Paradise, trainer David Bennett lit up the board with $73 winner Ima Raisin Kane, a Washington-bred first-time starter by Nacheezmo who prevailed in the first race, Monday, Dec. 27…Former jockey Hugh Wales visited Emerald Downs on his 59th birthday, Friday, Dec. 31. Wales, the eighth leading rider in Longacres history with 574 wins, said he has worked the last 15 years for Hewlett-Packard in Lebanon, Ore.
  • Portland Meadows cancelled live racing Monday, Jan. 3 and Tuesday, Jan. 4th, due to freezing temperatures in the Portland area. Live racing is scheduled to resume Wednesday Jan. 5 with special first post time at 12:20 p.m.
  • Speaking of Portland Meadows, Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo had an unusual four-win day on Dec. 28, including two double-digit quarter horse victories and a triumph on Chick Power in the $8,200 Thoroughbred feature. The latter victory gave trainer Ben Root his fourth win on the card…Startjumpin Marnie, winner of the 2008 Federal Way Handicap at Emerald Downs, bids for a second straight So Cal win in Thursday’s fifth at Santa Anita for $50,000 claiming fillies and mares. The 6-year-old mare is co-owned by George Todaro of Seattle and is by Jump Start, sire of 2009 Longacres Mile winner Assessment.
  • Trainer Roy Lumm got off to a quick start at the Golden Gate winter/spring meet when Washington-bred Phenomenal Gold ($15.80) scored a five-length win under Inoel Beato in the opening day nightcap. The Golden Gate meet runs Dec. 26 to June 12.