Mr. Technique wins Redwood Empire Stakes

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Mr. Technique ($8.80), a troubled third in his debut when he was spooked after seeing the Ferris wheel on the turn at the Solano County Fair, scored a wire-to-wire victory in the $52,770 Redwood Empire Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair on Sunday.

The $75,000 yearling purchase beat odds-on favorite Taraval, the winner of Northern California's first two 2-year-old stakes, by 3.5 lengths in the 5.5-furlong race. The winning time was 1:03.55.

"Today he broke good, and I just tried to get him to go comfortably," winning rider Jason Lumpkins said.

"He wasn't focused in his workouts. He'd look around. It was like going to school," trainer Jeff Bonde said. "That (first) race turned his mind around."

Mr. Technique earned $24,010, lifting his career earnings to $28,320.