Alozaina earns first stakes win in Autumn Leaves

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Alozaina ($43.80) notched the first stakes win of her career, outfinishing stablemate Sparkling Humor to win the $75,000 Autumn Leaves Handicap at Bay Meadows on Saturday.

The 6-year-old mare was far off the pressured pace set by odds-on favorite Penny Ante. She got a ground-saving trip but had no room behind a wall of horses entering the lane, but when a hole opened up, she burst through and wore down her stalking stablemate, who got a first-run trip.

Alozaina defeated Sparkling Humor by one-half length, winning the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares in 1:44.68.

"When they come up from the (Ron) McAnally stable, you know you're getting nice horses," said Donna Elordi, who saddled the first two finishers for McAnally.

"You just do as you're told. I told both riders to let them settle and make one run."

Winning jockey Pedro Mercado followed instructions perfectly.

"She ran beautiful," he said. "They told me to make one run. I was waiting and waiting, and the hold opened up just in time. When she saw the hole, she surged through it."

David Lopez said the pressure Lucky Sabre put on favored Penny Ante cost the favorite late.

Alozaina earned $41,250 for her first stakes victory, increasing her lifetime earnings to $342,485 with her fourth victory in 27 starts.