Brooke's Halo wires Hollywood BC Oaks

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Before Sunday, Brooke's Halo had a sketchy record in stakes. It turns out those races were run over the wrong distances.

Making her first start over 1 1/16 miles, and beyond seven furlongs, Brooke's Halo led throughout the $177,500 at Hollywood Park, scoring her first stakes win.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Brooke's Halo ($17.80) set fractions of 22.75 and 45.79 seconds, leading by as many as 2 1/2 lengths. Her lead dwindled to a length in the stretch, but she had enough energy in reserve to hold off Memorette, Cee's Irish and Leave Me Alone, the three California-bred fillies expected to dominate the field of eight.

Brooke's Halo was timed in 1:42.80.

"I was worried about the fractions, but Victor wasn't," said owner Michael House. "He said she was doing it easy."

Memorette, fifth in the Kentucky Oaks last month, rallied from last to finish a half-length in front of Cee's Irish. Leave Me Alone, the 3-2 favorite, finished four lengths behind Brooke's Halo.

Brooke's Halo has won 3 of 6 starts and $179,900. Bought privately last winter for House by trainer Jeff Mullins, she was 10th in the Sunshine Millions Oaks in January, last of five in the Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland in April and second as the 7-2 favorite in the minor Manhattan Beach Handicap here on turf on May 29.