Longest shot Blues Blaster takes Oak Tree Handicap

Blues Blaster, the longest shot on the board, led every step of the way and proved invincible in the stretch as he won Saturday’s $65,660 Oak Tree Handicap at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meet at the Alameda County Fair.

Blues Blaster ($83.80) raced evenly on the lead just in front of Eagle Screams, who ran second all the way in the 1 1/16-mile race.

The pair ran even fractions, and Eagle Screams, who was never more than one-half length behind the winner, crept to within a head at the quarter pole as the two dueled head-and-head to the eighth pole before Blues Blaster began to inch clear late, winning by one-half length in 1:42.56 under veteran rider C.C. Lopez.

Blues Blaster, a 6-year-old horse by Redattore, was one of five of the seven entrants who had never won on dirt.

Outside Nashville, the 2-1 second choice, was another 1 1/2 lengths back, edging favored stablemate G.G. Ryder by a head for third. G.G. Ryder, who was making his dirt debut, did not have much room for most of the stretch but did not exhibit his usual closing kick either.

Blues Blaster, owned and trained by Bruce Dillenbeck, sat out the entire 2014 year before returning in January after a 23-month layoff. He tried the Grade 2 San Carlos at Santa Anita in his first dirt try after winning an allowance sprint at Golden Gate Fields but finished sixth. He was most recently sixth in the Grade 3 All American at Golden Gate Fields on May 25 after stalking early.

The victory was worth $41,550, increasing his lifetime earnings to $148,531. It was his first stakes victory and improved his record to 5 wins in 14 starts.