Tiz Elemental impresses on Gold Rush Day

INGLEWOOD, Calif Tiz Elemental is more than a sprinter.

Sunday at Hollywood Park, she scored her first stakes win in the $200,000 Melair Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred fillies. The Melair was Tiz Elementals first win around two turns.

The victory, on the California Gold Rush program for statebreds, capped a memorable day for owner Warren Williamson and trainer Carla Gaines. Earlier in the day, they won the $150,000 Frans Valentine Stakes with Nashobas Key.

Tiz Elemental ($6) ran 1 1/16 miles in a slow 1:45.51, and overcame traffic to win by 1 1/4 lengths over an unlucky Curiously Sweet. Tiz Elemental was fourth early, stalking pacesetters You Are the Answer and Eastlake Avenue. Jockey Victor Espinoza guided Tiz Elemental through traffic on the final turn and quickly got a response.

Curiously Sweet, who was steadied on the first turn, rallied from ninth. She finished 3 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher You Are the Answer in the field of 10 3-year-old fillies. Romance Is Diane, the winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes last December, finished eighth.

Tiz Elemental has won 3 of 5 starts and $237,680. Second in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks over six furlongs in January, she was a poor sixth in the China Doll Stakes over a mile on turf in March, but rebounded to win an optional claimer for sprinters in April.

*Nashobas Key won her stakes debut in the Frans Valentine Stakes, maintaining an undefeated record after three starts.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Nashobas Key ($3.60) ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:40.21, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Dancing General. Memorette, the defending champion, closed from fifth to finish third in the field of eight fillies and mares.

A 4-year-old filly, Nashobas Key won a maiden race and an allowance race earlier this year at Santa Anita. She will be tried in longer races this summer, Gaines said.

*Leesider wore down a determined pacesetter in C.T. Zee to win the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds, the days richest race.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Leesider finished a nose in front of 18-1 C.T. Zee, running 1 1/8 miles in a slow 1:52.31. Zoning In finished third in the field of seven, but was disqualified and placed sixth for causing interference in the stretch. The disqualification resulted in Tap It Light being promoted to third.

Leesider was always near the front, stalking C.T. Zee. Leesider moved to the outside in the stretch, leading to an exciting stretch duel.

The victory came in Leesiders stakes debut. The Bertrando colt is owned by Patrick Sheehys Super Horse Inc. and trained by Paddy Gallagher. Leesider has won 2 of 6 starts and $200,200.

*Gregs Gold won his first stakes since the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Handicap in 2005 in the $150,000 Tiznow Stakes, but had to hold off a sustained threat from the former claimer Hes the Rage.

Gregs Gold ($3.60) raced near the front throughout and led for the final five furlongs. He finished 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:28.90, scoring by a half-length over Hes the Rage. Bilo, a 20-1 shot, finished third after leading for the first quarter-mile.

The Tiznow was Gregs Golds third start after returning from a tendon injury that forced him to the sidelines throughout 2006.

Owned by Bill Boswell, Gregs Gold, 6, will be pointed for the $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap on July 7, according to trainer David Hofmans.

*Epic Power ended a four-race losing streak in the $150,000 Khaled Stakes on turf. The victory came six months after he won the California Cup Mile at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.

Always near the front, Epic Power ($16.80) ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:47.40 in the Khaled, winning by a neck over Running Free, who finished a head in front of third-place finisher Jacks Wild. The first six finishers in the field of nine were within 1 3/4 lengths at the wire.

Super Strut, the 5-2 favorite, finished fifth, but was beaten only a half-length.

Epic Power has won 11 of 47 starts and $501,372. Claimed for $40,000 in March 2006, the 6-year-old gelding races for La Canada Stables and trainer Jack Carava.

*Somethinaboutlaura won the 12th race of her 24-race career in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes, but only after she was promoted to first after the disqualification of Getback Time.

Somethinaboutlaura ($5.20), ridden by Victor Espinoza, finished second to Getback Time, but was promoted to first after the stewards ruled that Getback Time had drifted to the inside in the stretch, causing interference to Somethinaboutlaura.

Getback Time, ridden by Corey Nakatani, ran seven furlongs in 1:23.06.

Two Times Won, the longest shot in the field at 57-1, finished third.

Somethinaboutlaura, 5, has earned $722,020 for a partnership and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.