Ritzy A.P. takes easy win in Grace Handicap

Odds-on Ritzy A.P. ($3.60) had everything go his way in scoring an easy and emphatic victory in the $55,000 Joseph T. Grace Handicap at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa on Saturday.

The race unfolded on the Santa Rosa turf course just as it charted on paper.

Sixes took the lead and set legitimate fractions of 23.43, 46.97, and 1:11.03 with Touched by Autism sitting just outside him.

Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez had the favored Ritzy A.P. in perfect position sitting fourth while saving ground inside Taima the Hawk.

“Everything was fine,” Gonzalez said. “I just wanted to stay close.”

As the field reached the quarter pole, Sixes began to open up on Touched by Autism. Gonzalez wasted no time, making his move as a big hole opened.

He quickly ran down Sixes, who was making his stakes debut, opening a two-length lead at the eighth pole and was never seriously challenged.

More Power to Him, last until making an inside move at the quarter pole, was second, beaten 2 1/4 lengths as Ritzy A.P. closed the fastest time of the meet, 1:40.89. Taima the Hawk, who had just run third in the Oak Tree Sprint, was third again as the two early leaders faded.

“I was pretty happy with my trip,” said Gonzalez, who won the Luther Burbank here the first weekend. “He really made a move when I asked him.”

Ritzy A.P. earned $31,700 for his first stakes victory. The 4-year-old colt by English Channel, has now won three of 17 starts with earnings of $188,725 for owner-breeder Calumet Farm. Dan Blacker is the trainer.