GARRETT GOMEZ (Babs Moossa) -- "I'm sittin' there on the fence and I'm watching Russell (Russell Baze on Control Seeker). He's got horse and he's ahead of me and he's got to make a decision. I'm thinking he's an old (veteran) rider and his first decision has got to be to keep his horse out of trouble. So I figure he's going to go to the outside and leave the inside to me. Sure enough, it happens that way. This time it worked out. Sometimes it doesn't. You're either a hero or a zero."

RUSSELL BAZE (Control Seeker) -- "This is only his third start and he's still figuring things out. He's still putting it together. I had a good trip and just got beat. No complaints."

JOEL ROSARIO (Lucky Primo) -- "I had a pretty good trip. He ran well for me. I think he might like to run even farther."


JERRY HOLLENDORFER (Babs Moosa) -- "I just told Garrett that the speed would set him up and just to ride his race, which he always does really well. He saved all the ground and kept the horse in the race and then got a little lucky and got through. These owners, Halo Farms, have been longtime and steady clients of mine. It's nice to win for them."

FRACTIONS: :22.40 :45.34 :57.81 1:10.39

The stakes win was the 10th of the meet for Garrett Gomez (the most by any rider at the session), but his 27th overall at Del Mar. This is the first time he has won this race.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for Jerry Hollendorfer (he earlier won the Graduation Stakes with this same horse), but his fifth overall at Del Mar. This is the first time he has won this race.


The owner of the winner is Halo Farms, which is the nom de course of Ted Aroney from Rancho Santa Fe, CA.