Sold It wins California Oaks; Simply Breathless takes Golden Poppy

ALBANY, Calif. – Southern California-based runners dominated the early portion of Saturday's program of six stakes on Gold Rush Weekend at Golden Gate Fields.

Sold It ($2.80) led every step of the way for an easy victory in the $75,600 California Oaks, and Simply Breathless ($6.60) won her U.S. debut in the $75,600 Golden Poppy, her first start since winning the Ritz Club EBF Breeders Handicap at Ascot last Sept. 8.

Sold It, a The Factor filly who had run in the Grade 1 Starlet last year, was given a perfect and confident ride by Rafael Bejarano in the California Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

"You don't give a rider like Raffy many instructions because he studies the Form so closely," said Leandro Mora, Doug O'Neill's assistant who brought the filly north from Santa Anita. “He told me it looked like she could make the lead easily, and I told him, 'Just ride her as you feel.' "

Sold It, making her first start since a first-level turf allowance with an $80,000 optional-claiming tag on Feb. 1, did just as Bejarano expected, taking the lead and relaxing nicely while under mild pressure from California Canter and Creative Romance down the backstretch.

As California Canter backed out of the pace picture, Creative Romance remained strong. She sat off the winner and did her best to make it a race through the lane, but Sold It had plenty left, winning by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:44.78.

"She'd been training nicely and has been getting better," said Mora.

Sold It, owned by Ciaran Dunne and Reddam Racing, earned for $45,000 for her Oaks victory, her second win in six starts. She has career earnings of $96,220.

Trained by Neil Drysdale, Simply Breathless got a perfect trip under Flavien Prat in winning the Golden Poppy, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

"You never know what to expect first time here for a European horse, but she seemed to beat good ones last time," said Prat.

While Thousand Oaks took control of the race, Prat sat in midpack while saving ground to the half-mile pole. He moved out for a clear path on the second turn, and Simply Breathless was moving nicely turning for home.

Odds-on favorite Zaffinah, who had been stalking Thousand Oaks, finally edged past the leader in the stretch, but Simply Breathless was in full flight and not to be denied. She ran strongly down the lane and always looked like a winner, finishing one length ahead of Zaffinah in 1:43.48. Tizno's Dilemma edged Thousand Oaks for third.

"She slipped a bit on the first turn and had a little trouble, but the winner was really good," said Bejarano, who rode Zaffinah.

Simply Breathless, owned by Cloros Bloodstock, earned $45,000 for her fifth victory in 14 starts and boosted her career earnings to $101,963.

► Camilla Urso Stakes: Odds-on favorite S Y Sky ($3.40) made a five-wide move into the lane as she pulled clear to win the five-furlong Camilla Urso on the turf by 3 1/2 lengths over pacesetting Ima Happy Cat. The 56.48 clocking was the fastest of the current meet at the distance. Her $75,000 earnings boosted her career total to $572,320.