Cindy's Horse Racing Website Index

La Habra Stakes


Very Vegas winning the La Habra Stakes at Santa Anita.
Date: 02/29/2004

Very Vegas sprinted to a clear early lead and held off favored Aspen Gal in the stretch for a neck victory in the $111,350 La Habra Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Sunday at Santa Anita Park. Ridden by Mick Ruis at 118 pounds, Very Vegas ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:13.99 on a good turf course and paid $35.40, $13 and $8.40. It was the first Santa Anita stakes triumph for Ruis, a 16-year-old apprentice jockey from San Diego who was the leading rider at Turf Paradise this winter.

Aspen Gal, the 17-10 choice ridden by Alex Solis at 115 pounds, was slowly gaining on the winner in the stretch, but settled for second place and returned $4.80 and $4. It was a half-length back to Fortunately, Emile Ramsammy aboard at 114 pounds, and an $8.40 show payoff. Winendynme, Lucayan Beauty, Triple Fantasy, Solar Fire, Vino Tinto and Mazella completed the order of finish. Luckbealadytonight was scratched earlier in the day.

Trainer, Marcelo Polanco (right) greets apprentice jockey Mick Ruis aboard La Habra Stakes winner Very Vegas.

Very Vegas had raced on turf just once previously, finishing ninth in the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park in November. She had won four of eight starts, however, including minor stakes wins at Bay Meadows and Turf Paradise. In the La Habra, she used her speed to good advantage, setting splits of :22.24 and :45.01 while maintaining a 1 ½-length advantage over Triple Fantasy. Very Vegas led by a length entering the stretch and gamely held off challenges from Fortunately and Aspen Gal.

Jockey Mick Ruis said, "This is my first stakes win here. I've won a stakes at Turf Paradise but I'm still an apprentice. I was just lucky to ride in this race. They normally don't let apprentices ride in stakes races but I talked to Marcelo (Polanco) and I'm fortunate enough to ride for him and he kept me on. Me and this filly interact good together so I think that's why he kept me on. She just ran good. You don't have to ask her out of the gate. She just gets there herself. She's very quick. Like Marcelo said, her confidence has built now. She's won two in a row, both stakes races. She's a nice filly and has a lot of talent."

The La Habra Stakes trophy is presented to apprentice jockey Mick Ruis and winning trainer Marcelo Polanco by Jim Manteris of the Green Valley Ranch Hotel and Cassino of Las Vegas.

Marcelo Polanco trains Very Vegas for Jeffrey Nielsen of North Oaks, Minnesota. A Kentucky-bred by Storm Boot, Very Vegas has a 5-1-0 record from nine starts. The $66,810 first prize bumped her earnings to $178,010.

Results Chart

The Saturday feature was the Baldwin Stakes for the 3-year-old colts.

From a Santa Anita press release. Photos courtesy of Tina Hines.

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