DEVIL BE ME UPSETS ALPHABETICAL ODER IN $35,000 SUMMER OPEN FINAL
They say horse races aren't run on paper for a reason. Even when a field features a couple of overwhelming favorites, you still have to get the job done on the track, and every so often, a longshot reminds everyone exactly why they run the race.
That was precisely the case in the $35,000 Summer Open Final at Los Alamitos on Sunday night, as the 18-1 outsider Devil Be Me staged an upset thanks to a strong closing kick to claim the 1,000-yard championship. The California-bred gelding, by the stakes-winning sire Grazen, broke cleanly from post position number 6 under jockey Francisco Orduna-Rojas and immediately set his sights on the pace-setting Alphabetical Order.
While the 9/10 heavy favorite Mischief River trailed early, the reigning "King of the Distance," Alphabetical Order, blazed the trail through the early stages, while Devil Be Me patiently bided his time, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Trailing the pace-setting 1,000-yard champion by three lengths in the opening furlongs, the veteran 8-year-old gelding began to close the gap around the turn, steadily whittling down the margin as they straightened for home.
In the stretch run to the wire, Devil Be Me surged past a tiring Alphabetical Order to secure a thrilling half-length victory, stopping the clock in :52.187. The surprising performance rewarded his backers with a handsome $38.40 return on a $2 win ticket.
“First of all, I have to thank the rider and the owner for the opportunity to train this horse,” said winning trainer Genaro Vallejo. “We gave him some time off; he’s an older horse and he surprised us. He tries pretty hard, and he got there. Francisco gave him a good ride.”
For Orduna-Rojas, the victory was thrilling, surprising, and tactical. “It was a surprise for me as well,” the jockey admitted. “The horse responded well for me as we turned for home. I noticed that Alphabetical Order was slowing down, and I felt right there that we had a good chance. I knew there was speed in this race, and my horse has speed as well. I tried to stay as close to Alphabetical Order as possible, and the horse did his job from there. All I did was guide him the best I could.”
Alphabetical Order, who was seeking back-to-back final crowns after taking the Winter Final last December, held on gamely for second. His runner-up effort earned $7,875, pushing his career bankroll to $113,302 and maintaining his ultra-consistent record of finishing first or second in 16 of his 23 lifetime starts. Mischief River made a solid late run after trailing early but had to settle for third, while Geezer, Silvercross, and Voucher completed the field.
Owned by Lizbeth Medina and bred by Robert Mitchell out of the unraced mare Devilish Pro, Devil Be Me remains a perfect two-for-two at the 1,000-yard distance this year. The $19,250 winner's share adds nicely to his coffers, bringing his career record to eight wins from 20 starts with total earnings of $254,131.
A new series at 1,000 yards now begins at Los Alamitos, culminating with the Winter Final at this distance scheduled for Sunday, December 6.
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