Golden Gate Fields: Local runners made their mark on California Cup Day at Santa Anita

A two-year-old Northern California rivalry was renewed at Santa Anita last Saturday, when Ciao Bella Luna and Marks Mine hooked up in the $126,500 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on California Cup Day.

The 4-year-old fillies met twice as 2-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields. Ciao Bella Luna won the first race, an optional claimer, with Marks Mine turning the tables on Ciao Bella Luna, who was trained by the late Dennis Patterson at the time, in the Golden Gate Debutante.

Last Saturday, they ran one-two all the way down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, with Ciao Bella Luna winning by a half-length.

Marks Mine probably lost the race when she tried to jump over the dirt track that runners must cross before reaching the main turf course, according to trainer Steve Specht and even Ciao Bella Luna’s jockey, Kent Desormeaux.

Marks Mine “jumped over the dirt and stumbled pretty good, and I picked up a half-[length] on them in a second,” Desormeaux said. “That might have been the winning move.”

“She ran her heart out,” Specht said of Marks Mine, who has 7 wins in 15 starts for earnings of $324,454.

The effort by Marks Mine proved to be a highlight of a tough day for Specht and clients Larry and Marianne Williams, the owners and breeders of Marks Mine, Alasharchy, and Unusual Meeting.

Alasharchy, a 3-year-old filly, bowed a tendon after crossing the finish line a troubled fifth in the $201,500 California Cup Oaks.

“It happened a step or two past the wire,” Specht said. “I really liked her. It’s too bad [her career] ended that early. There was nothing at Golden Gate that could outrun her. The good thing is this isn’t life-threatening. She’ll make it as a broodmare.”

Alasharchy lost her first two starts to a pair of undefeated stakes winners, Look Quickly and City by the Bay. The Decarchy filly ran second in the $100,000 Pike Place Dancer Stakes and earned $72,491 in six career starts.

Specht knew he was shooting for the moon with Unusual Meeting in the $251,500 California Cup Turf. Unusual Meeting finished 11th of 14 behind Weewinnin ($44.80). Specht plans to run Unusual Meeting in a first-level race at Golden Gate next.

Specht might give Marks Mine another chance down the hill in the $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-breds on March 15. He noted that the $50,000 Camilla Urso Stakes is scheduled for the same day at Golden Gate Fields.

The Williamses saw their Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity winner, Tamarando, run second to California Chrome in the California Cup Derby. Longtime Northern California trainer Art Sherman, who now stables in Southern California, trained the winner.

Jerry Hollendorfer trains Tamarando and Life Is a Joy, who finished third. Life Is a Joy won his first three career starts, including the Charlie Palmer Futurity at Fresno in October.

Coach Bob, trained by Reina Gonzalez, turned in a big effort before being caught in the lane by Big Macher and finishing second in the California Cup Sprint.

Gonzalez, who has battled foot problems with the 5-year-old Bertrando horse, said that with the help of blacksmith Bill Lyskey, the problems might be over.

“He was throwing shoes in every race,” said Gonzalez, adding that Coach Bob’s feet were “just a mess” after setting the pace in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar last summer.

Glue-on shoes that now include a few nails since the sprinter’s feet have grown out have been the answer.

“It was an excellent effort,” Gonzalez said of the race. “He came back absolutely outstanding.”

Desormeaux, who rode Coach Bob, called him “the quickest horse I’ve ridden in 10 years, no doubt.”

Gonzalez, who raves about Coach Bob’s determination, was particularly pleased when Desormeaux told her after the race, “Man, this horse has heart.”

Since Coach Bob likes dirt so much, Gonzalez said, “he will be coming back to Santa Anita for sure.”

Smith gets first winner

Roxanne Smith recorded her first training victory Saturday when Oh My Goddess won an $8,000 maiden claimer at Golden Gate Fields.

Oh My Goddess, a 4-year-old Olympio filly making her seventh start, is owned and bred by Smith and her partner, Dr. Christine Chanley, who have a farm in Livermore, Calif., where the horse was foaled. They have 15 horses of racing age, including 10 stabled at Pleasanton.

Oh My Goddess, ridden by apprentice Ricardo Gonzalez, was Smith’s 18th starter.

“This is a business of passion,” Smith said.

Not surprisingly, there was plenty of passion after the victory.

“We loved it,” said Smith, whose introduction to racing came from her father, a longtime horseplayer. Smith and her brother bought their father a racehorse as a belated 80th birthday present in 2005, and Smith said “We quickly learned you can’t have just one.”

Smith said Jeff Bonde and Ellen Jackson have helped her become a trainer. Bonde was waiting with a bucket of water to drench her with after her first victory, but Smith dodged the water.

◗ Golden Gate Fields will have a special early first post of 11:15 a.m. Pacific on Super Bowl Sunday. The track will give away nine 42-inch high-definition television sets Saturday.