OBS: First-time starter wins Ocala Breeders’ Sales Championship

A first-time starter, Crafty Unicorn, forced all the pace and went on to defeat nine more seasoned rivals Monday in the colt and gelding division of the $100,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Championship, the anchor race on the annual Day of Champions program at the OBS Sales facility in Ocala, Fla.

Owned and trained by Dennis Manning and ridden by Angel Serpa, Crafty Unicorn finished the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:45.80 in defeating Burn the Mortgage by 1 1/4 lengths. Moon Traveler was third in a field of 10.

Surely the win by Crafty Unicorn, a bay colt by Friends Lake, would have led to huge mutuels, but all four Day of Champions events are betless exhibitions. Held annually since 1990, the OBS races are restricted to 3-year-olds sold at OBS and are run over a Safetrack synthetic surface.

In the earlier races:

◗ Andrew’s Girl bided her time under Leandro Goncalves before sweeping past a gang of front-runners in midstretch to win going away in the OBS Championship filly division at 1 1/16 miles. Andrew’s Girl, by Lawyer Ron, was coming off a maiden win over the Tampa Bay Downs turf in her career debut. Oaks Lily, a maiden, was second in a field of nine.

◗ Kent Desormeaux eased Devoted Wildcat out of a five-way duel for the early lead, then got the gelding to spurt past the tiring leaders leaving the quarter-pole en route to a one-length score over late-running Making Amends in the OBS Sprint (colt and gelding division). Devoted Wildcat, by Forest Wildcat, now has won three straight races.

◗ Who Is Camille, with John Velazquez up, took over for Quality Lass after turning for home and went on to prevail by a length over Runfor Ro in the OBS Sprint (filly division). Marcial Navarro trains Who Is Camille, by Dixie Union.