Saturday, January 24, 2009

LEEDSTHEWAY COMES FROM BEHIND FOR WIN IN GOOD VIBRATIONS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2009) – After leading all the way to score his maiden victory at odds of 8-1, Leedstheway burst from behind at 4-1 on Friday to remain unbeaten with a

3 ¼ -length victory over 12-1 longshot Liturgical in Santa Anita’s $50,928 Good Vibrations Purse for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.

After earlier drizzles moved the race from its scheduled setting on the turf, Leedstheway tracked the early pace before a midstretch move under jockey Tyler Baze turned the eight-horse competition into a runaway.


Liturgical, with Garrett Gomez aboard, ran on for second, edging early pace-setter Lordgivemealift and jockey Michael Baze by one length for the place. Dream Now, the 9-5 favorite, was never a factor while finishing seventh.

Leedstheway, who ran the distance over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in 1:15.51, paid $10.60, $5.80 and $4. Liturgical returned $10.80 and $5.60 while Lordgivemealift paid $3.60 to show.

After going wire-to-wire in his maiden debut on Nov. 16 at Hollywood Park, Leedstheway was kept in steady training by Jeff Mullins before returning to action on Friday.

A Kentucky-bred son of Cape Canaveral who is owned by David Marshall, the bay gelding earned $28,800 to go with his maiden winnings of $16,200.

In conjunction with Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Santa Anita presents an eleven-race program that includes four Sunshine Millions events that match California-bred horses with their counterparts from Florida.

Some 124 Thoroughbreds were entered in the races at Santa Anita that get underway at 11:45 a.m. They include the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf, $500,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff, $300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint, and $250,000 Sunshine Million Oaks.

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