Reba's Gold wins Seabiscuit

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Reba's Gold ($6) was an eight-length winner in his 2003 debut in the $100,000 Grade 3 Seabiscuit Handicap at Bay Meadows on Monday.

Reba's Gold, off since a ninth-place finish in the Japan Cup on Nov. 23, sat off I'madrifter's swift pace in the 1 1/16-mile race. He was fourth early as I'madrifter cut out fractions of 22.29, 45.16 and 1:09.85 while being chased by Metatron and Truly A Judge.

Reba's Gold went from fourth, two lengths behind at the quarter pole to in front by three at the eighth pole. He finished eight lengths in front of late-closing Free Corona, who nosed out Truly A Judge for second. The winning time was 1:41.63.

"When he moved out at the three-eighths, he just took off and did it on his own," winning jockey Chance Rollins said.

"When I saw him come out of the paddock, he was on his toes, and I was concerned because I knew I'madrifter has only one way to go. Dan (Hendricks, Reba Gold's trainer) told Jedd (Josephson, the sub trainer) just to let him fall away from the gate, and 'he'll have you where you want to be.'

"This horse was a lot kinder than I thought, but I guess that's why they're good ones with a half-million dollars in earnings.

"Dan really had him ready."

Reba's Gold earned $55,000 for his eighth victory in 30 starts. The 6-year-old horse owned by Alex Trebek's Creston Farms has career earnings of $566,922.

Attendance for the holiday card was 10,157, the largest total since 10,632 on Labor Day 1995.