Surfin' U. S. A. scores emotional win for the late Jeff Siegel

ARCADIA, Calif. – Surfin’ U. S. A., a 3-year-old filly owned by the estate of the late racing handicapper and commentator Jeff Siegel and longtime Los Angeles Times sportswriter Eric Sondheimer, won a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf Sunday.

A 3-year-old filly, Surfin’ U. S. A., trained by Leonard Powell, closed from sixth of eight to win by a head at 4-1. Sunday’s race was Surfin’ U. S. A.’s fifth start, and second of the year. She was a troubled fourth in a maiden race at six furlongs on turf Jan. 11.

Siegel died in October after a lengthy illness. He was 74.

Siegel had a diverse career in racing, working as a public handicapper, television commentator, and morning-line oddsmaker through the years. In the 1980s, he co-owned the multiple stakes winner Aloha Prospector and helped found Clover Racing Stable, one of the most successful Thoroughbred limited partnerships in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Clover Racing won the 1989 Santa Anita Handicap with 50-1 Martial Law.

Surfin’ U. S. A. paid $10. Members of Siegel’s family were on hand for Sunday’s race.

:: Santa Anita Classic Meet! Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more.