JOCKEY ORDUNA-ROJAS SWEEPS 1,000-YARD SUMMER FINALS
AFTER DIAL A FRIEND WINS FILLY AND MARE RACE
Jockey Francisco Orduna-Rojas held the hot hand in the Summer Finals at 1,000 yards, completing a sweep of the evening's feature events by guiding Lakestride LLC’s Dial A Friend to a decisive victory in the $30,000 Fillies and Mares Summer Final on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.
The victory came just a few races after Orduna-Rojas helped engineer an impressive 18-1 upset aboard Devil Be Me in the $35,000 Summer Open Final over California’s top 1,000-yard performer, Alphabetical Order.
Unlike the earlier shocker, Dial A Friend won with a beautifully calculated, confident performance in the Filly & Mare event. Breaking from post position number 3, the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Dialed In out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Sugar Babe settled into fourth early on, enduring some minor trouble while chasing the swift pace set by defending Winter Final winner Tiz The Prospect.
When the leader began to fade in mid-stretch, Dial A Friend eagerly picked up her stride. She confidently launched a two-wide bid around the turn, rapidly ascending to second before roaring past the tiring pace-setter. From there, she sailed down the lane to win by a comfortable 2 ¼ lengths in a final time of :52.84, rewarding her backers with a $7.80 mutuel payout.
“She was dynamite,” said winning trainer Jesus Mendoza. “She was right on her toes. Everything went perfect for her and the rider did an excellent job. I have to give all the credit to the rider. She's always game, even when she ran against the boys like Code Duello. I knew she was going to have a late kick. All in all, it was a great deal and a stakes double for the rider.”
For Orduna-Rojas, the victory capped off a memorable evening for the former leading rider. “I had some minor trouble around the first furlong, but the mare responded once again and we won again,” the jockey explained. “I started sending her earlier than I did with Devil Be Me. I started pressuring the leader before the turn, and it worked.”
The victory marks Dial A Friend’s third win from six starts in 2026, banking $16,500 for the championship effort to push her seasonal earnings to $32,229. Bred by Pippa's Hurricane, the mare now boasts an outstanding lifetime record of 10 victories from 18 career starts, with a total bankroll of $135,715.
William Branch’s Stars Hollow entered the final a perfect two-for-two at the Cypress oval and ran creditably to secure second place. Ridden by Armando Aguilar for trainer Jerry Wallace II, the 3-year-old Clubhouse Ride filly stalked the pace along the inside, angled three-wide at the eighth pole, and finished gamely to earn $6,750. Silvia Soto’s Uffda overcame a troubled start to rally three-wide under trainer Jorge Farias, though she drifted slightly in the lane and was ultimately outkicked for second, settling for third.
The rest of the championship field encountered a variety of challenges. Former Winter Final champ Tiz The Prospect was sent clear early but tired badly in mid-stretch to finish fourth. The division’s high-point earner, Broken Circle, threw her head at the start and broke slowly, effectively ending her chances as she finished out of the money. Miss Joannie saved ground to no avail, while Tizsummer flashed brief early speed before dropping out of contention.
A new series at 1,000 yards now begins at Los Alamitos, culminating with the Winter Filly & Mare Final at this distance scheduled for Sunday, December 6.
-30-