ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Forever Darling took command with a sixteenth of a mile to go and held off Code Warrior to win the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length Saturday at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Forever Darling ran 6 1.2 furlongs in 1:16.25 and paid $10.20, $5 and $3.20 in the Grade 2 race.
Code Warrior returned $4.60 and $3 as the 5-2 second choice. Pretty N Cool was another neck back in third and paid $2.60 to show.
''I knew pressure was coming by the three-eighths pole and I just tried to keep going,'' Bejarano said.
Forever Darling had been idle since finishing well back in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. She was found to have an ulcer on her soft palate during surgery.
The victory, worth $120,000, increased her career earnings to $155,400, with two wins in four starts for Richard Baltas, who trains and co-owns her.
In the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes for older horses, France-bred Flamboyant overtook Obviously late to win by a neck and snap a 10-race losing skid.
Ridden by Frenchman Brice Blanc, Flamboyant ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46.64 and paid $94.20, $33.40 and $13.80 at 46-1 odds in the Grade 2 race. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the 5-year-old gelding had not won since taking the La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita in his U.S. debut on April 19, 2014.
''This all worked out because my wife is French, the horse is French and the jock is French,'' said co-owner Chuck Winner, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board. ''It's the French Connection.''
Obviously returned $5 and $3.80. The 8-year-old horse had been off since finishing well back in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Oct. 31.
Brazil-bred Bal a Bali was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $3.80 to show.
The victory, worth $120,000, increased Flamboyant's career earnings to $398,368, with four wins in 18 starts.
In the $100,000 Midnight Lute Stakes, San Onofre won by a half-length under Alex Solis.
The 6-year-old gelding ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.82 and paid $10, $4.40 and $2.60 in the Grade 3 race.
Salutos Amigos returned $3.40 and $2.40, while Pulling G's was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $2.60 to show.
The victory, worth $60,000, increased San Onofre's career earnings to $333,040, with five wins in 10 starts. The gelding was bred by Bruce Headley, trained by daughter Karen and owned by wife Aase.
''Really good way to start the new year, my daughter did a hell of a job,'' Headley said.
