Rye repeats in Unusual Heat Turf Classic

ARCADIA, Calif. – Rye won the $200,702 Unusual Heat Turf Classic for the second consecutive year at Santa Anita and gave Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux his 5,999th win in North America.

Desormeaux called on his 33 years of experience to guide Rye to the winner’s circle in the turf race at 1 1/8 miles for California-breds. Rye was racing inside on the turn when Desormeaux found sufficient room on the rail, guiding the 6-year-old horse to the lead in the final furlong. Rye pulled clear for a convincing win, his first victory since the 2018 Unusual Heat Turf Classic.

“If you’re driving a Ferrari and press the gas, you can get in those spots in a few seconds,” Desormeaux said. “He saw the pocket and dove for it.

“He’s one of my favorite horses to ride.”

Rye ($13.40) finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of Ashleyluvssugar, who won the 2017 equivalent of this race, the California Cup Turf Classic. Ashleyluvssugar, 8, rallied wide on the turn to finish a clear second on Saturday.

“He came around on the outside and the winner saved all the ground,” trainer Peter Eurton said. “It was a big race for him. He’s getting older. He ran huge. It wasn’t his day.”

Accountability, a 17-1 outsider, finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Ashleyluvssugar, followed by pacesetter King Abner, Unusually Green, Incredible Luck, The Street Fighter, He Will, Camino Del Paraiso, and Marckie’s Water.

Rye was timed in 1:47.56 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

King Abner led by as many as 2 1/2 lengths through early fractions of 24.01 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 47.73 for a half-mile. Desormeaux had Rye in ninth in the first run through the stretch and seventh until the end of the backstretch before moving into contention in the final three furlongs.

Trained by William Morey for Joseph Morey, who is no relation to the trainer, Rye had his second start on Saturday after a layoff of nearly eight months. Rye was fourth in an allowance race at six furlongs on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields on Jan. 10 in a prep for the Turf Classic.

“I think he’s a fresher horse this go round,” Morey said.

By English Channel, Rye has won 9 of 21 starts and earned $336,118.