Victory Kid notches Bull Dog upset

FRESNO, Calif. - Unheralded Victory Kid ($17.20) uncorked a strong stretch kick to defeat odds-on Tribesman and win the closing-day Bull Dog Stakes at the Big Fresno Fair on Sunday.

Making only his second appearance in a stakes, Victory Kid stalked pacesetting Candy Pull and Tribesman from midpack in the six-furlong stakes race.

Tribesman put away Candy Pull as the field turned for home, but Victory Kid was ready to pounce under Frank Alvarado, a late substitute for Alex Bisono. Alvarado had Victory Kid in gear as he put his head in front by the eighth pole and pulled away for an authoritative 3 1/4-length win in 1:08.33.

High Standards was third, holding off Jack Hes Tops by a head.

Victory Kid, a 5-year-old gelded son of Flying Victor, was third behind Tribesman and Jack Hes Tops in his stakes debut in the 2008 State Fair Sprint.

Trained by Guillermo Preciado, Victory Kid was coming off a wire-to-wire score in a $40,000 starter allowance race at Sacramento on Sept. 5. His third victory in 10 starts was worth $31,000 for owners Sam and Debbie DiLaura and lifted his career earnings to $96,470.

* Earlier on the card, Bar JF Red Ticket ($23.40) snapped the 1-10 Bar JF Hot Ticket's 21-race winning streak, posting a two-length victory in the $9,420 AMRA Gold Cup at 440 yards when Hot Ticket was forced to the inside rail at the break and never recovered, though rallying for second. Bar JF Red Ticket, a full sister of Bar JF Hot Ticket, earned $5,020 for the victory.