Kilroe Mile one option for Alert Bay

ARCADIA, Calif.- Alert Bay and Mischief Clem could run in graded stakes later this winter after winning $250,000 stakes on the California Cup program at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Alert Bay extended his winning streak to five races in the California Cup Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The 4-year-old was scheduled to leave Santa Anita for trainer Blaine Wright’s stable at Golden Gate Fields on Monday. A decision on Alert Bay’s next start may not be made for another week, Wright said, but one option would be the $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 7.

Alert Bay won the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on turf here on Dec. 26, the most prestigious win of his career.

“We’ll let him come out of the race and go from there,” Wright said on Sunday. “I would think there would be a lot of options. I haven’t begun to think about.”

Owned by Peter Redekop, Alert Bay won the 10-runner Turf Classic by a neck as the 5-2 favorite over 9-2 Boozer. Ridden by Tyler Baze, Alert Bay was guided to the rail in the stretch, forcing the longshot G.G. Ryder to be checked. G.G. Ryder, who was part of the early pace, eventually finished eighth.

The stewards conducted an inquiry into the incident but did not change the order of finish. Wright admits there were a few anxious moments waiting for the decision.

“I could see how an inquiry could be called,” he said. “We were fortunate to stay on the side that stayed up. Tyler said it got tight in there but he had room.”

Baze did not escape sanction. He was suspended three days by track stewards on Sunday for careless riding. The suspension covers racing next Saturday and on Feb. 1 and 5.