INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 10, 2008) - Defending champion On the Acorn out-ran 2-5 favorite Champs Elysees through the stretch to win Saturday's $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap by a nose under jockey Brice Blanc.
Champs Elysees gained the lead on the turn for home, led by more than a length in mid-stretch, but could not hold off the defending champ in the final sixteenth.
On The Acorn, who did not start again in 2007 after back-to-back victories in the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap and the Jim Murray, was winless in three previous 2008 starts and was the third choice at 9-1 in the field of four older horses.
The 7-year-old trailed much of the way in the 1½-mile race on the Lakeside Turf Course, but followed the favorite when jockey Ramon Dominguez moved Champs Elysees into contention on the backstretch. He then fought valiantly in the stretch, getting up in the final strides to win the 19th running of the Grade II event in a time of 2:27.36.
On the Acorn, owned by Indizguys Stable, was claimed for $40,000 by trainer Mike Mitchell for the outfit in November of 2006. The group includes former Murray colleague and longtime Los Angeles Times baseball writer Ross Newhan; ex-Angels manager Buck Rodgers; ex-San Francisco 49er Paul Salata; racing publicist Jack Disney and his twin brother Doug, and Fred Krueger.
"This horse has been training great ever since we turned him out," Mitchell said. "I thought the first race back was a super race, we ran third and I thought it set it up for the next two races. I told Jack and all the owners I was scratching my head after the second race because he just ran so bad. The last time in the San Juan Capistrano I just thought he was up too close for him. This was just a perfect trip and I'm so happy for those guys, they kind of live and die with this horse because it's the only horse they have."
The victory - worth $150,000 - was the fifth in ten starts since the claim, boosting On the Acorn's earnings to $743,812.
"We're just ecstatic," Disney said. "We thought we had a big shot last year. This year we thought we were really up against it. Getting reunited with Brice Blanc was the key."
Blanc was reunited with On the Acorn seven races after guiding him to back-to-back victories early last year.
"I've won four races with this horse now," Blanc said. "I won a race with him at Keeneland earlier in his career. Mike told me to try and get him as relaxed as possible. I just kept tracking Champs Elysees. He was the one to beat on paper. I've worked him before and I know he's a pretty nice horse. Champs Elysees kind of went on down the backstretch and I just waited, biding my time. When I got to the turn I swung out again and he really went on with it. That other horse was digging in and coming back at me, but my horse ran great."
On the Acorn - the first two-time winner of the Murray - paid $21.60 and $4.20. Champs Elysees returned $2.10. There was no show betting.
"Everything went like I thought it would early," Dominguez said. "I didn't know what the tactics were going to be, but I was glad the stablemate (Sudan) put some pressure on the horse in front (Boule d'Or). I took a look back at the winner on the backstretch because I didn't want him to beat me to the punch approaching those horses. I was sitting where I thought was a good spot, but we just got outrun. I thought I did everything I was supposed to do, but unfortunately it didn't work out."
In two other graded stakes Saturday, favorite Sweeter Still beat Magical Fantasy by a nose under Martin Garcia and survived a stewards' inquiry in the $109,800 Senorita, and 7-5 favorite Street Boss scored a one-length victory over 2007 winner Sailors Sunset under David Flores in the $110,500 Los Angeles Handicap.
Street Boss not only beat Sailors Sunset, he broke his track record of 1:07.79 as he covered the six furlongs in 1:07.55. Sailors Sunset had set the mark while winning the Vernon O. Underwood Handicap on Dec. 2, 2006.
