Harold Ramser Handicap Horse Racing Results and Analysis

by Patricia Woo | Oct 26 2009

Fall racing continued at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 24 with the $100,000 Gr. 3 Harold Ramser Handicap. A 1-mile race over turf for 3-year-old fillies, the Harold Ramser was a comeback race for the boisterous April Pride, who was looking to redeem two straight losses. Among those standing in her way in a field of eight was race favorite Minute Limit and speedster Strawberry Tart.

British-bred April Pride began her 2009 campaign in February with a runner-up performance in an allowance race at Santa Anita Park. A month later, she finally tasted victory in her first stakes race, the $70,000 China Doll Stakes, beating fellow Harold Ramser Handicap nominees Acting Lady and Century Park by a length. A five-month layoff ensued and her first race back was an eighth-place disappointment in the Sandy Blue Handicap at Del Mar in August. Perhaps still rusty from that layoff, the Jim Cassidy trained 3-year-old managed only a third-place finish in an optional claiming race at Oak Tree at the beginning of October. But with Garrett Gomez in the irons for the first time, April Pride finally broke through with a solid win, despite having drawn the extreme outside post.

Mid-pack in the early going and chasing pacesetters Century Park, under Tyler Baze, and Strawberry Tart, ridden by Mike E. Smith, April Pride slowly eroded the distance between herself and the leaders. Strawberry Tart weakened down the lane and April Pride finally overtook Century Park mid-stretch, even increasing her lead. Her winning time over a firm course was 1:34.01, which earned her $60,000 and her third win of her 14-race career.

Cassidy was thrilled with his filly's first graded stakes win - and the first-time partnership of his trainee with Gomez. "Garrett [Gomez] rode her great... I'm very happy. She's been unlucky in the past, so today she showed her stuff."

Following her to the wire was Century Park, Starlarks, Minute Limit, Acting Lady, Point of Reference, Mrs. Kipling and Strawberry Tart. The Bob Baffert-trained Century Park had only a three-week break between her California Cup Distance Handicap and her Harold Ramser effort, making her runner-up finish even more impressive. Strawberry Tart has been battling a slump, having dropped her last three races; she has not won since July in the $100,000 Flawlessly Stakes.

Santa Anita Park will be hosting the Breeders' Cup in just a few short weeks! Bet on horse racing with the Bodog Racebook!