Cee's Irish captures Corte Madera Stakes

ALBANY, Calif. - Cee's Irish ($4.20) gave trainer Doug O'Neill a sweep of the weekend stakes races at Golden Gate Fields when she caught Island Escape and stuck her nose in front at the wire to win the $60,400 on Sunday.

Cee's Irish raced four wide the entire race but pulled even with pacesetting Island Escape in the lane. The two alternated on the lead with Cee's Irish proving best at the wire, winning the one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies by a nose in 1:36.94. On London Time rallied along the rail to finish third one-half length behind the first two runners.

O'Neill's Dover Dere won the Gold Rush Stakes for 2-year-old colts Saturday.

"I talked to my assistant after the race, and he said she wasn't overly tired," O'Neill said. "I wanted her to get a clean trip, and Russell (Baze) gave her a good ride.

"We shipped her up four days ago, and she left a little grain in her feed tub which she doesn?t do down here. I guess traveling took a little bit out of her, but I'm happy because we learned some things."

Cee's Irish has finished second in the Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies Stakes, won a maiden race and now become a stakes winner since a private purchase by Merv Griffin. The victory, worth $36,400, increased her earnings to $93,960.

* Rocky Gulch ($3) drove to a three-quarter-length win in the $104,300 Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap at Sunland Park.