Thirsty Always leads all the way in Royal Owl Stakes
CYPRESS, Calif. - Before an eventful program at Los Alamitos on Sunday’s closing day, jockey Abel Cedillo had clinched the riding title at the track’s three-week Los Angeles County Fair meeting.
Cedillo began the day with 15 wins, six clear of Kyle Frey, and added to his runaway lead with three wins, including a victory in the $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes for 2-year-old statebred sprinters on Thirsty Always ($13).
The win came a few hours after Cedillo was unseated in the first race when Palace Prince stumbled leaving the gate, knocking the rider out of the saddle. Cedillo said his arm was a “little sore” from the fall, but he rode his mounts through the day.
Thirsty Always led throughout the Royal Owl Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs, finishing 1 1/2 lengths clear of 2-5 favorite Rock N Rye. Thirsty Always was timed in 1:03.28, and led by three lengths in the stretch. Thirsty Always earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 80, a career-best.
Rock N Rye, who was third early, closed some ground in the final furlong, but Thirsty Always kept his advantage.
“When he felt that horse coming, he kept going,” Cedillo said.
Drizella (18-1) closed from last of five to finish third, followed by Carmen Miranda and Mr T’s Thirsty.
The first two finishers and Mr T’s Thirsty are trained by Walther Solis for owner and breeder Terry Lovingier, who co-owns the horses in various partnerships. Thirsty Always, by Stay Thirsty, is co-owned by Lovingier, Tom Beckerle, and Saul Carillo.
Thirsty Always has won 3 of 5 starts and has earned $147,600. Thirsty Always won the Everett Nevin Stakes at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton in July and was beaten twice at the Del Mar summer meeting, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 7 and third in the I’m Smokin Stakes for statebreds on Sept. 4.
Cedillo, 32, was third in the standings at the Del Mar summer meeting. He won two riding titles in the final months of 2020 – at the Del Mar autumn meeting and the Los Alamitos December meeting.
“Winners are winners and riding is riding,” Cedillo said after the Royal Owl. “If you win anywhere, you feel good.”