O'Neill 'shocked' but happy

ARCADIA, Calif. - Cee's Tizzy's offspring prefer dirt over grass, but give them an easy lead and they will be gone on any surface. The 3-year-old filly Cee's Irish got loose Friday at Santa Anita in the $92,600 at a mile on turf, and lead virtually wire to wire over a good turf course. Tyler Baze rode Cee's Irish ($17.40) for trainer Doug O'Neill.

"I think if the other riders knew they were going 24 [seconds] and change, [they] might have changed tactics," O'Neill said. "I was shocked when she was on the lead, but when I saw 24 and change I felt pretty good."

The race was run in 1:38.37, and it was the third straight win for Cee's Irish, owned by Merv Griffin. O'Neill said the filly would aim for the $75,000 Arizona Oaks on Feb. 12 at Turf Paradise. Cee's Irish won the Blue Norther by three-quarters of a length over Royal Copenhagen, while the 6-5 favorite, Conveyor's Angel, finished a dull third.

Baze entered the weekend as the leading jockey with 16 wins, and O'Neill led the trainer standings with 13. Unfortunately for Baze, a transgression in an earlier turf race will cost him a three-day suspension. Baze rode Like a Tiger to victory in race 4 on Friday, but the stewards ruled Baze failed to "make the proper effort to maintain a straight course in the stretch, causing interference." There was no change made to the order of finish, but Baze was suspended from Wednesday though Friday.

One pick-six ticket worth $368K

A single pick-six ticket, purchased at a New Jersey hub, nailed all six winners in the Friday sequence, and returned $368,805.

The pick six started easy enough, with wins by 7-10 favorite Miss Loren and 8-5 favorite Like a Tiger in the first two legs. But they were followed by Good Cop Bad Cop ($25.20), Oceans Reality ($33.60), Cee's Irish ($17.40), and Fantastic Wager ($13.40).

Run Thruthe Sun rewards new owners

Three days after a change in ownership, the 3-year-old colt Run Thruthe Sun scored a runaway victory Thursday at Santa Anita that stamps him as one of the favorites for the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park. Run Thruthe Sun was purchased privately by owner Bob Shepard and American Equistock Racing only days before he won a 5 1/2-furlong California-bred allowance in 1:03.19, winning by more than six lengths and earning a whopping Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

"He ran way past my expectations," trainer Pete Eurton said, adding that Run Thruthe Sun, a Memo colt, was scheduled to leave Sunday to train for the next two weeks in Florida. Eurton will remain as trainer after the colt was sold for an undisclosed sum by Eurton, Joe Ciaglia, and Tom Vela.

A $15,000 yearling, Run Thruthe Sun has won 3 of 4 and earned $68,156. Jon Court rode Run Thruthe Sun ($10.60) to victory.

Going Wild has top figure

The California-based contingent shipping to Florida for the six-furlong Sunshine Millions Dash will be settled after the $100,000 San Miguel Stakes here on Monday. Florida-breds Bushwacker, So Long Birdie, and General John B face apparently overmatched California-breds Senor Fango and Fallfree in the six-furlong San Miguel.

The only Kentucky-bred in the San Miguel field is the one to beat, however. Going Wild rolled to a front-running maiden win Dec. 26 (six furlongs in 1:08.64) that earned a Beyer Figure of 102. Going Wild can win the San Miguel if the figure was legitimate. Two colts who finished directly behind Going Wild in the fast maiden race (Only in Reno, Attila's Storm) were scheduled to start as co-favorites Saturday in race 9.

While Going Wild is the fastest horse based on speed figures, Bushwacker earned a Beyer of 94 against tougher company one start back when he finished second behind Declan's Moon in the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue. Trained by Bill Currin, Bushwacker subsequently was eased in the Hollywood Futurity when his saddle slipped.

So Long Birdie is a half-brother to Birdstone and Bird Town, and his 11-length maiden win Dec. 19 earned a Beyer of 90.

Breeze for Fusaichi Samurai

Fusaichi Samurai returned to the Hollywood Park work tab on Saturday, working a half-mile for trainer Neil Drysdale in 49 seconds, breezing. Drysdale has not identified a comeback race for the $4.5 million 2-year-old, who won his only start Dec. 11, earning a 92 Beyer.