Bay Meadows: Heavenly Humor wins

Heavenly Humor broke a step slowly but wound up getting a good stalking trip and held off fast-finishing Puxa Saco late to win the $60,400 MOC Insurance Woodside Handicap at Bay Meadow.

Heavenly Humor won her second straight sprint stakes at the meeting. She won the six-furlong Soviet Problem going wire to wire on

Feb. 26 in her first start in nine months. She had won the 1 1/16-mile San Jose last May before the layoff.

Ridden by Russell Baze, Heavenly Humor sat behind Yerevan Star and Born to Dance early. Heavenly Humor moved out for room approaching the quarter pole and rallied three wide into the stretch, while Puxa Saco, the 7-5 favorite, rallied along the rail. Both had trouble catching Yerevan Star, finally getting past in the final 100 yards. Heavenly Humor reached the wire a half-length in front of Puxa Saco, covering the six furlongs in 1:09.46. Yerevan Star was third, beaten another head.

Heavenly Humor ($5.60), a 4-year-old trained and co-owned by Jerry Hollendorfer, earned $33,400 for her fifth victory in eight starts, lifting her career earnings to $158,665.