Desmond Doss makes Bertrando first stakes victory
CYPRESS, Calif. - Desmond Doss was second, third, and fourth in successive stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita from late February to late April. A change of scenery to Los Alamitos gave the 5-year-old horse a first career stakes win in Saturday’s $100,000 Bertrando Stakes for statebred milers.
Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Desmond Doss closed from fourth in a field of five with a wide rally to win by a half-length in a hand-timed 1:36.80. Desmond Doss earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86.
“I got a perfect trip,” Cedillo said.
Sent off favored, Desmond Doss ($5.20) raced on the inside to the turn when Cedillo moved his mount outside of three rivals.
“At the quarter-pole, I switched him out and he finished strong,” Cedillo said. “I didn’t want to stay inside.”
Tom’s Surprise (27-1) was near the front throughout and held second, finishing a length in front of 11-1 Luvluv. Brandothebartender, who won the Sensational Star Stakes and Crystal Water Stakes at Santa Anita, beating Desmond Doss in those races, finished fourth, followed by Scary Fast Smile.
Scary Fast Smile, who had won two sprint allowance races at Santa Anita in April and May by a combined 15 3/4 lengths, set an early fraction of 23.91 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, but faded through the stretch.
Desmond Doss races for owner and breeder Nick Alexander and has won 5 of 14 starts and $289,091.
Earlier this year at Santa Anita, Desmond Doss was second by a head in the Tiznow Stakes at a mile on dirt on Feb. 28, third by 1 1/2 lengths to Brandothebartender in the Sensational Star Stakes at six furlongs on turf on March 21, and fourth by 1 3/4 lengths behind Brandothbartender in the Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on April 24.
Trained by Steve Miyadi, Desmond Doss rebounded to win an allowance race against open company at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.
Miyadi mentioned after the Bertrando that Desmond Doss will be considered for the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on July 25.