PointsOffthebench took the lead at the top of the stretch and narrowly held off a late charge from favorite Goldencents to win the $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap on Sunday at Del Mar.
Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith for trainer Tim Yakteen, PointsOffthebench was fourth early, entered the stretch four-wide and nearly lost the lead but won by a head, covering six furlongs on the main track in 1:09.04.
The 4-year-old PointOffthebench was running in his first ever stakes, and gave Yakteen his first Grade 1 win in eight years of saddling horses.
''I didn't think I'd have to wait this long,'' Yakteen said. ''He ran huge, and Mike gave him a great ride.''
It was Smith's second graded stakes win of the weekend, and the victories came on opposite coasts. He also won Saturday in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga in New York.
The winner paid $8.80.
Runner-up Goldencents, the Santa Anita Derby winner, was making his first start since finishing 17th in the Kentucky Derby and fifth in the Preakness Stakes. Jimmy Creed was a distant third.
PointsOffthebench, a California-bred gelding, earned $180,000 for the win, nearly doubling his lifetime bankroll to $364,940.
