Jockey Torres stays hot as Bal Harbour takes Tinsel Stakes

Jockey Cristian Torres won his third stakes race of the young Oaklawn Park meet on Saturday when he guided Bal Harbour to a wire-to-wire win in the $200,000 Tinsel.

Last weekend, Torres won both the $150,000 Mistletoe and $150,000 Ring the Bell on the Saturday card.

The Tinsel was for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. Bal Harbour won by a neck over the late-charging Last Samurai, while it was another three lengths back in third to Scarlet Fusion.

Bal Harbour ($13.60) set fractions of 23.53 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.41 for the half-mile and 1:11.67 for six furlongs, with favorite Run Classic in close pursuit. Bal Harbour spurted away from that one into the stretch and held off Last Samurai late while winning on a fast track in 1:49.22.

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Torres was aboard for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Torres leads all riders at Oaklawn in wins and also mount earnings on the strength of his victories in three of the first five stakes offered over the first two weeks of the meet. The richest of the races held was the Tinsel.

“The money is unbelievable and it keeps going up every year,” Torres said.

Diodoro was winning his second Tinsel behind taking last year’s inaugural running with Lone Rock.

Lone Rock and Bal Harbour both came into the Tinsel off starts in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a marathon on the undercard of Breeders’ Cup Friday. Lone Rock won that race and Bal Harbour finished third. Bal Harbour races for John Holleman.

Bal Harbour has now won 7 of 34 starts and earned $870,880. He is a 7-year-old son of First Samurai and a four-time stakes winner.

As for Torres, he was scheduled to ride Saturday night at Remington Park, which has six stakes led by the $400,000 Springboard Mile. He is also the leading rider at Remington, which closes Saturday.

Pretty Birdie in Poinsettia

Pretty Birdie was uncatchable in the $150,000 Poinsettia, when she set the pace and went on to a two-length win in her first start against older horses. Sarah Harper closed for second, finishing 3 1/4 lengths clear of favorite and third-place finisher Carribean Caper.

The Poinsettia was for fillies and mares over 5 1/2 furlongs. Pretty Birdie covered the distance on a fast track in a quick 1:03.44.

Pretty Birdie ($10.60) led throughout, putting up fractions of 22.34 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.81 for the half-mile. She had more in the stretch, and was strong to the wire in what was her first start since July.

David Cabrera was aboard the winner for trainer Norm Casse.

The last time Pretty Birdie was seen at Oaklawn she was a standout winner of the Purple Martin Stakes. The Grade 3 winner last raced at Belmont and finished fifth in the Victory Ride. Overall, Pretty Birdie has won 4 of 9 starts for earnings of $462,388.

Pretty Birdie is a daughter of Bird Song who races for her breeder, Marylou Whitney Stables. She is from the female family of Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone and Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town.

*** Barber Road, the runner-up in the Arkansas Derby, ran third in a first-level allowance on the Saturday undercard that marked his first start since the Belmont Stakes.

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