32-1 upset with Wicked Old Fashion in Kathryn Crosby Stakes tops big day for Victor Trujillo

DEL MAR, Calif. – Victor Trujillo has been on the racetrack for more than three decades, but never has the Northern California-based trainer had a day like Friday.

On opening-day of Del Mar’s fall meeting, Trujillo earned his first stakes win in eight years as a trainer when Wicked Old Fashion prevailed in a blanket finish to post a $67.80 upset in the $84,954 Kathryn Crosby Stakes.

All that on Trujillo’s 55th birthday.

And all in a race he had no intention of initially participating in.

Trujillo said he wanted to run Wicked Old Fashion in a race at Golden Gate, but it didn't fill.

“This was my second choice,” he said.

At 32-1, Wicked Old Fashion was the seventh choice in a field of nine. Last for the first half of the one-mile grass race for fillies and mares, Wicked Old Fashion closed fastest on the far outside under Evin Roman and got her nose down at the right time to beat Super Patriot, who was a head in front of 6-5 favorite Excellent Sunset, who was a head in front of fourth-place Curlin’s Journey.

Wicked Old Fashion covered one mile on the firm course in 1:35.12, earning her 11th win from 22 lifetime starts.

She’s come a long ways, and so has Trujillo.

Wicked Old Fashion, 5, was claimed by Trujullo at Golden Gate in May 2018 for $16,000. She was eligible to be claimed in four subsequent starts, and twice was taken, but both times those claims were voided.

She was off from August of 2018 until April of this year, and hasn’t been risked for a tag since. She had won three times in six starts this year, and was third against males in the Rolling Green at Golden Gate on Sept. 2, showing vastly improved form from 2018.

Trujillo only became a trainer in 2011 after a long, distinguished career as an exercise rider. He was the exercise rider for Brown Bess, the pint-sized mare who was the champion turf female of 1989.

“First Eclipse winner based in Northern California,” he said, proudly.

Trujillo continued to gallop horses after becoming a trainer, but said he gave that up three years ago.

He has a good-sized barn – “44 or 45 horses,” he said – and had won 57 races from 411 starters this year prior to Friday, but rarely runs horses in stakes.

Asked if Wicked Old Fashion was the best horse in his barn, he responded, “By far, yes.”

Wicked Old Fashion, a daughter of Colonel John, is owned by Frank Aufdermaur and Wayne Swisher. She earned $47,160 on Friday, the biggest payday of her career.

“I was hoping she’d be a little closer,” Trujillo said. “It worked out. I didn’t see her until the last sixteenth of a mile. I didn’t have a lot of hope.”

Not until that birthday wish came true.