Bickersons caps Talamo's five-win day

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In less than a week, jockey Joe Talamo went from the sick bed to the top of the heap. He won five races on Sunday's card at Hollywood Park, including riding Bickersons to a front-running victory in the $100,000 for 2-year-old fillies.

Bickersons ($9) battled with Neeko through the opening quarter-mile, passed the half-mile mark in 46.58 seconds after taking the lead, then sped home powerfully to complete seven furlongs on Cushion Track in 1:22.49. She won by 2 1/2 lengths over Miss Heather Lee, with It Tiz another 2 1/2 lengths back in third. Crisis of Spirit, the 7-5 favorite, finished fourth in the field of six.

The five wins equaled the career best for Talamo, who won five races once at Fair Grounds while an apprentice.

"I never even thought I could win five today," Talamo said. "I was hoping for a couple."

The week ended far better for Talamo than it began. Talamo missed Wednesday's races with food poisoning.

Kelly Breen, who trains Bickersons, said he reached out to Talamo after jockey Joel Rosario opted for It Tiz.

Bickersons was coming off a 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita, but came out of the race so well that Breen decided to wheel her back in 16 days.

"Maybe it helped changing tracks," Breen said. "It was a little bit of a closer's track at Santa Anita, and it's a little more speed-biased here. There was really no excuse why she ran so badly. All I can say is that she didn't fire."

Bickersons, a daughter of Silver Deputy, has won 2 of 6 starts. She is owned by George and Lori Hall.