4th Running
$125,000 DARK MIRAGE STAKES
3-Year-Olds & Up, Fillies & Mares
One Mile
Jockey Quotes
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Winner, Show Card): “She broke out and a little slow, but it worked out well. We were able to sit off the leaders and in the clear. She was strong through the stretch and I look forward to riding her again.’’
Trainer Quotes
MIKE MARLOW (Winner, Show Card, Assistant Trainer, Bob Baffert): “We didn’t really have any big plans for how the race would play out. (Jockey) Juan (Hernandez) knows her well and how to ride her. She got away a step slow, but he was smart, just picked his spot on the outside and it all worked out well for us. She’s tough. She wants to win.’’
43rd Running
$75,000 E.B. JOHNSTON STAKES
3-Year Olds & Up, California bred or sired
EDWIN MALDONADO (Winner, Man O Rose): He’s been training like a monster. He broke great and had his ears forward going into the first turn. He relaxed perfectly and was strong all the way.’’
JEFF MULLINS (Trainer, Winner, Man O Rose): “(Jockey) Edwin (Maldonado) said (Man O Rose) threw his ears forward around the first turn and that’s a sign that he was in cruise control. Once he makes the lead and he’s got his ears forward it’s going to take a pretty nice horse to get by him. It was the only opportunity we had to stretch him out. We were going to try the Bertrando (Stakes June 22 at Los Alamitos), but we were told The Chosen Vron was going to run in the race, but then he ended up not running. So we would have probably been in the Bertrando, but we were trying to avoid The Chosen Vron at the time. We have a lot of options with him now and don’t forget he can run on the grass as well.’’
11th Running
$202,500 GREAT LADY M. STAKES (GRADE II)
Six & One Half Furlongs
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Winner,Sweet Azteca): “She is a very nice filly. (Daddysruby) outbroke us and I just let her go. I was very happy with our position and she was always traveling well. She switched leads in the stretch and just took off.’’
MICHAEL MCCARTHY (Winner, Sweet Azteca): “The race really didn’t play out like I thought it would. I thought she’s pretty quick in her own right, so I figured she would go ahead and establish herself, but it was nice to see her be able to sit off that filly (runner-up Daddysruby). It was her first time here, first time shipping and the configuration of the track is a little different than what she is used to and she was kind of playing a little bit at the top of the stretch, but she leveled off and got the job done. She has certainly progressed all year long. Obviously the (Grade I) Beholder (Mile) was a breakout performance for her. We had our sights set on taking her to Kentucky for the (Grade I) Derby City Distaff (on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4), but she busted open her knee in her stall getting excited for feed time one day, so we had to go to Plan B and this race fit on the calendar for us. It’s always nice to win at Los Alamitos. I enjoy being here.’’
$100,000 LOS ALAMITOS DERBY
3-Year-Olds
One & One Eighth Miles
KYLE FREY (Winner, Wynstock): “I just let him settle early. I was hoping he would have something for the stretch because he ran so well here in December when he won the (Los Alamitos) Futurity. I stay inside because I didn’t want to break his momentum.’’
BOB BAFFERT (Winner, Wynstock and Second, Cornell): “I thought Wynstock’s only chance was to be on the lead, but he runs well here because he likes a firmer surface. He could not make the lead, so (jockey Kyle Frey) just grabbed him and (Tapalo) was out there by himself and I knew Cornell was going to make a run. Down the stretch, I thought Cornell was going to cut the corner, but he stayed outside and (Tapalo) was drifting him out and then I saw a horse flying on the inside and I thought, ‘Son of a gun’, and then I realized ‘Oh, that’s my horse, he came back.’ We know Wynstock has a lot of talent. It’s mental with him. I’m just happy we won and ran 1-2. It’s nice to come here and win this race, especially for (Los Alamitos owner) Doc (Dr. Ed Allred). I’m a big fan of his. It’s nice to hang with him and reminisce and tell old stories.’’
$100,000 BERTRANDO STAKES
3-Year Olds & Up, California Bred or Sired
ANTONIO FRESU (Winner, None Above the Law): “(Trainer) Jorge (Periban) said he was doing great. He was very relaxed warming up and seemed to be enjoying things. I let him get into a rhythm down the backstretch then I swung him out for the stretch and he showed his class.’’
JORGE PERIBAN (Winner, None Above the Law): “He had been running with a little bit tougher the last couple of times he had run and he had been doing better and better in the morning. (Jockey Antonio Fresu) told me a couple of the horses were going to go, so he just waited. I never lost faith in this horse after we claimed him. He’s got a lot of talent and I always had a good feeling about him.’’