Hollywood Park: Dubawi Heights makes Wilshire her third straight victory

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Whether she was third on the backstretch or challenging for the lead in early stretch, Dubawi Heights left jockey Joel Rosario with ample confidence in Saturday’s $100,000 Wilshire Handicap at Hollywood Park.

When Dubawi Heights ranged alongside pacesetter Miss Pleasant inside the furlong pole, Rosario was convinced he was aboard the winner.

“I just followed the horses in front,” Rosario said. “She took me there and was very comfortable. She traveled good the whole way.”

Dubawi Heights ($9) took the lead in the final sixteenth and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Lilly Fa Pootz, who also raced as a stalker throughout the one-mile turf race. Lilly Fa Pootz finished a nose in front of Miss Pleasant, the longest shot in the field at 49-1. Well Monied, the 5-2 favorite, closed well late to finish a nose behind Miss Pleasant in her first start since last May.

Dubawi Heights was timed in 1:35.21, and earned $60,000 for a partnership and trainer Simon Callaghan. A 4-year-old British-bred filly by Dubawi, Dubawi Heights won her first stakes in the Wilshire, her third consecutive win. She has won 3 of 11 starts and $505,196.

The bulk of her earnings came in 2009 when she finished second in two sale-progeny races for 2-year-olds in England – the $401,600 Watership Down Stud Sales race at Ascot and the $1,273,000 Tattersalls Fillies 800 race at Newmarket.

Callaghan trained her during that season and she was part of a group of horses he brought to the United States when he moved his stable in late 2009.

Dubawi Heights beat maidens at Hollywood Park last November and won an allowance race at Santa Anita on April 1, in a prep race for the Wilshire Handicap.