No Slip adds notch to Frankel's belt

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Bobby Frankel's domination of graded stakes races continued Saturday when No Slip won the Grade 3, $200,000 Golden Gate Breeders' Cup Handicap.

No Slip ($4.20) was not originally going to run in the race, but Frankel entered him when defending champion Northern Quest came up with a quarter crack earlier in the week.

Although the Golden Gate Fields turf course had been favoring speed, No Slip came from off the pace set by stablemate Sumitas to win the 1 1/8-mile turf race by two lengths over Kerrygold. Sumitas finished third.

Winning rider Kent Desormeaux had been listed to ride Sumitas early in the week but shifted to No Slip, whom he rode to victory in last year's Oak Tree Derby.

"The only trying time was in the first turn," he said. "They were going a little pedestrian" - 24.94 seconds and 49.21 through the opening half - "and I tried to let him slide up. The one inside me had trouble and made him think it was time to go. I had to take a strong pull to settle him back down."

Desormeaux moved his colt closer to the leaders, and the colt roared to the lead in the stretch and was timed in 1:49.91 over a firm course.

"We were just walking. Russell [Baze on Sumitas] did the right thing," Desormeaux said about the slow pace Baze set. "I didn't like the cards I was being dealt. As soon as I got him outside, I let him get in contention. I got him within one length, and I knew he could make it up."