Pure Tactics takes over in final stride to win Siren Lure Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Pure Tactics ($11.20) caught Rosengold in the final stride to win Sunday’s $78,250 Siren Lure Stakes for turf sprinters at Santa Anita, the first California stakes win for the 5-year-old horse.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Pure Tactics closed from fifth in a field of six to win by a nose. He ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:13.

Smith rode Pure Tactics for the first time Sunday, having worked the horse twice in May. Smith said Pure Tactics telegraphed a big effort before the race.

“He warmed up like a winner,” Smith said. “You know he’d run well.”

Rosengold, a three-time stakes winner in 2013, set the early pace of 21.91 seconds and 43.84 on the hillside course. Rosengold led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining and looked like a winner under jockey Kent Desormeaux until Pure Tactics surged in the final sixteenth.

Rosengold, a 10-1 outsider, finished a half-length in front of a fast-closing County Lineman. Artest was fourth, followed by Chips All In, the 9-10 favorite, and Zimmer.

Chips All In was never a factor. He was as close as third on the hillside but faded from contention in the stretch.

Pure Tactics races for Doug Cole, who races as Nita Winner LLC, and was acquired privately earlier this year. Pure Tactics has won 6 of 15 starts and earned $210,011. By Pure Prize, Pure Tactics was bred in Texas and won the minor Barksdale Stakes at Louisiana Downs last August when trained by Morris Nicks.

The Siren Lure Stakes was the third start for Pure Tactics with trainer Doug O’Neill. Pure Tactics was third in the Joe Hernandez Stakes in February and fourth in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on April 13.