Richard's Boy rebounds to win Desert Code Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Richard’s Boy rebounded from the first loss of his career last month to win Saturday’s $92,500 Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Fernando Perez, Richard’s Boy ($5.60) closed from fourth in a field of seven to win by a neck over Diamond Majesty. The victory gave owner Rockingham Ranch a sizeable return on the investment of a private purchase of the gelding in March.

In his first start for Rockingham and trainer Peter Miller, Richard’s Boy was a well-beaten third in the Echo Eddie Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old sprinters on dirt April 4, leading to the stretch before fading. In the Desert Code Stakes, Richard’s Boy stalked the pace of Guy Code through an opening quarter-mile of 22.68 seconds, and the half-mile fraction of 45.75 seconds set by Diamond Majesty, before moving into contention when the field reached the main turf course.

Diamond Majesty led by two lengths with a furlong remaining but could not hold off Richard’s Boy. Diamond Majesty, a 9-1 chance, finished a head in front of 6-1 Perfectly Majestic in third. Bench Warrant was fourth, followed by Win the Space, Guy Code, and Desert Dynamo.

Richard’s Boy won his first three starts for owners and breeders Harold and Pamela Tillema and trainer Herb Bacorn before being acquired privately by Rockingham Ranch and turned over to Miller.

Richard’s Boy’s win was the start of a remarkable half-hour for Miller. Minutes after the Desert Code Stakes, the stable’s Finnegans Wake won the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. The Woodford Reserve was the second-richest win of Miller’s career behind Comma to the Top’s victory in the 2010 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park.

Richard’s Boy, by Idiot Proof, has won 4 of 5 starts and earned $187,840.