Star Over the Bay hangs on in Sunset

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Star Over the Bay, claimed for $80,000 on May 16, held off a late run from the heavily favored Continuously to win Sunday's $150,000 Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by Tyler Baze and carrying 113 pounds, Star Over the Bay ($8) set an early pace of 24.49 and 47.93 seconds, leading by as many as 3 1-2 lengths. Star Over the Bay was not threatened until the final furlong when Continuously rallied from sixth to reach contention.

Continuously, the 4-5 favorite and 116-pound joint highweight, drew alongside Star Over the Bay in the final sixteenth but could not pass the leader, who finished 1 1-2 miles on turf in 2:26.47.

Leprechaun Kid, who stalked Star Over the Bay to early stretch, finished third in the field of seven. Freddy, a four-time stakes winner in Argentina in 2002, finished fifth in his U.S. debut and first start since December 2002.

Star Over the Bay races for a partnership and is trained by Mike Mitchell. Star Over the Bay was claimed the day he won over a mile on turf. He subsequently finished second in the Dallas Turf Cup Handicap at Lone Star Park on June 19.

A claimer in Florida and New York last year, Star Over the Bay, 6, has won 7 of 37 starts and $338,753.