Bourbon Bay dominates in San Luis Rey

ARCADIA, Calif. - Bourbon Bay's love affair with the Santa Anita turf course continued on Saturday when he thoroughly dominated nine overmatched rivals when scoring a 2 1/2-length victory in the for older horses.

Bourbon Bay ($3.80), the favorite, looked like a winner every step of the way. He was perfectly positioned just behind and to the outside of Quasicobra, the early leader, for the first nine furlongs of the 1 1/2-mile grass race. He took over on the far turn when Quasicobra quickly faded, then drew away, the outcome never in doubt.

Romp, a 50-1 shot, rallied to finish second, a head in front of third-place Sudden War.

Bourbon Bay covered 1 1/2 miles on a firm course in 2:24.08. He gave jockey Rafael Bejarano a sweep of the day's stakes races.

Bourbon Bay, 4, a gelding, has won three straight races at 1 1/2 miles on turf this meeting, including the San Luis Obispo Handicap four weeks ago.

"I think he's getting the hang of it," said his trainer, Neil Drysdale, who said Bourbon Bay would likely make his next start in either the Grade 2, $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap here on closing day April 18, or the Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland five days later.

Drysdale trains Bourbon Bay for David and Jill Heerensperger.

Irish O'Brien: Unzip Me earns win on front end

Unzip Me proved a deserving winner of the $100,000 Irish O'Brien Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, setting a brisk pace, turning back her early rival, and safely holding off a belated bid to win the downhill turf sprint for California-bred fillies and mares.

Unzip Me ($7.20) and favored A Jealous Woman sped down the hill through fractions of 21.76 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.05 for a half-mile. Unzip Me began to inch clear of A Jealous Woman passing the furlong pole, but she was fully extended in the final yards to prevail by a head as 19-1 shot U R All That I Am came flying down the center of the course.

A Jealous Woman finished third, 1 1/4 lengths farther back. Dotsy Jean and Bootleg Annie completed the order of finish. Burna Dette and Lady Alex were scratched.

Under the meet's leading rider, Rafael Bejarano, Unzip Me completed the about 6 1/2-furlong distance on firm turf in 1:11.91. The win was her third straight and her second in a row on the hillside course. Unzip Me, 4, is by City Zip. Marty Jones trains Unzip Me for a partnership that includes her breeders, John Harris and Don Valpredo.