DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) Nuovo Record won the $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap for fillies and mares by a nose Thursday at Del Mar, becoming the first Japan-bred to ever compete at the seaside track north of San Diego.
Ridden by Yasunari Iwata, Nuovo Record ran 1 3/8 on turf in 2:15.56 and paid $12.40, $4.80 and $4.80 as the 5-1 third choice.
''The first time around she was running well,'' Iwata said through a translator. ''Then when we came into the stretch the second time, the horses in front of me fanned out. I thought they would and I went outside. My mare has a really good late kick. She showed it today.''
Arles, who shipped in from Maryland, returned $3 and $2.40 as the even-money favorite. Swear By It, another East Coast invader who was another length back in third, paid $7.40 to show.
The victory, worth $60,000, increased Nuovo Record's career earnings to $4,993,397, with six wins in 20 starts.
Nuovo Record came to Del Mar to train shortly after finishing 11th in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
''We will have even bigger expectations for her next year and we would like to come back to Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup,'' winning trainer Makoto Saito said through a translator.
Trainer Peter Miller and jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. had three wins each on the Thanksgiving holiday card.
