Friday, October 03, 2008

DOUBLE DIP UPSET GIVES TRAINER McKAUGHAN FIRST SANTA ANITA WIN

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2008) – Double Dip, a 13-1 outsider making her first start at Santa Anita, closed strongly on the extreme outside under jockey Joel Rosario Thursday to take Oak Tree’s optional claiming feature, a $51,082 event for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

The upset helped generate a Pick Six carryover of $62,119 into Friday’s eight-race program that begins at 1 p.m. It marked the fourth time in seven racing dates that the Pick Six had carried over during the young Oak Tree meet.

While resisting the closing bid of second-choice Comeback Queen by 1 ¼ lengths, Double Dip provided Amanda McKaughan with her first training win at Santa Anita. The chestnut filly gave jockey Rosario his second of three wins on the afternoon.


A 4-year-old Florida-bred who had been racing recently in Northern California, Double Dip covered the distance in 1:42.67 while gaining her third career victory in eleven starts.

The upset winner paid $29.20, $10.60 and $5.20. Comeback Queen, with Brice Blanc aboard, returned $4.40 and $3. Vixana, the 7-5 favorite who finished one length behind the runner-up while ridden by Mike Smith, paid $2.40 to show in the field of eight.

The victory was worth $29,400 to partners Jeff Siegel, a commentator for HRTV, and Michael Spero. It boosted Double Dip’s career earnings to $93,920.

McKaughan, 46, took out her trainer’s license two years ago and has five horses in her Santa Anita stable. Her work experience includes a stint in the publicity department at Hollywood Park in 1990 after galloping horses for the late Bill Shoemaker.

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