Nepenthe captures Waya
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Chris McCarron swept the two stakes at Hollywood Park on Saturday on his way to riding five winners from six mounts.
McCarron scored aboard Nepenthe ($3.60) in the $72,500 Waya Handicap* (click here for chart) and Bella Bella Bella in the $50,000 Golden Ballet Stakes. He ended the day with 282 career stakes wins at Hollywood Park, two better than Bill Shoemaker.
Nepenthe inherited the favorite's role in the Waya after morning-line favorite Keemoon was scratched on Saturday morning. Trainer Neil Drysdale reported that she was "body stiff."
Nepenthe stumbled at the started, but recovered quickly to reach a stalking position for the first mile. Racing off the rail, she rallied three-wide on the final turn to challenge Haitian Vacation and Built to Last.
Nepenthe took the lead in early stretch and won by a length, finishing 1 1-2 miles on turf in 2:30.21.
Trained by Ron McAnally for Stonerside Stable, the Waya Handicap was the second stakes win for the 4-year-old Nepenthe.
Built to Last, a Brazilian import making her debut for Drysdale, finished second, followed by Boismorand, The Parting Glass and Haitian Vacation.
Top of Our Game was pulled off, but walked off.
*Bella Bella Bella was a convincing winner in her first start for Team Valor Stable and trainer Jenine Sahadi.
A 2-year-old by Soft Gold, Bella Bella Bella ran 6 1-2 furlongs in 1:16.59, winning by two lengths over Daddy's Gold. Martial's Princess was third in the field of seven California-bred fillies.
Bella Bella Bella won a maiden race for California-breds in her debut on Oct. 25 and was privately acquired in November.
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