Barretts at Fairplex: Anillo wires Jim Kostoff Stakes

POMONA, Calif. – The front-running 3-year-old Anillo uncorked an impressive display of speed under red-hot rider Martin Pedroza to win the $50,000 Jim Kostoff Stakes on Sunday at the Los Angeles County Fair.

The 3 1/2-length win by Anillo was the fifth of six victories on the card for Pedroza. The track’s all-time leading rider, Pedroza ended the first week of the Barretts at Fairplex meet with a 12-5 lead in the jockeys’ standings over Alonso Quinonez.

Anillo ($3.80) is trained by Jeff Bonde, who purchased the gelding for $75,000 during the Barretts summer Del Mar paddock sale. The 6 1/2-furlong Kostoff was Anillo’s first start for Bonde and his first in California.

Anillo’s four rivals included the speedy Najran Breeze, the 6-5 second choice. Bonde was not particularly worried about that rival.

“I just thought we would be quicker than him, and he was,” Bonde said. “This horse had been training really well.”

Pedroza sent Anillo to the lead, set the pace through opening fractions of 21.95 and 46.01 seconds, opened up by six lengths into the lane, and coasted home in 1:18.07.

Ebony Gold, the longest shot in the field at 25-1, finished second. He was followed by North Pacific and Stormdriver, who finished in a dead heat for third. Najran Breeze weakened to last after chasing the pace.

Anillo, by Aragorn, has won five races and $113,697 from 15 starts. Bonde said his next start was undecided. “This was our starting place,” he said.

Jockey Luis Medina was unseated on the far turn of race 11 but walked into the ambulance under his own power.

Barretts racing resumes Wednesday. First post for the twilight card is 4 p.m. Pacific.