Johnny Eves Wins Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Johnny Eves under jockey David Flores makes an impressive graded stakes debut as he wins by a length in the $250,000 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at the opening day of Santa Anita Park‘s 2007-2008 Winter/Spring Meet on Wednesday, December 26.
“Down the backside, I was just trying to figure out what the speed was going to do. At the five sixteenths (pole) I just decided to go,” said jockey David Flores after recording his third win on the opening day card. “This horse is very sharp now. We don’t know yet how good he is because he’s still learning. When I asked him, he really responded well.”
With the Malibu Stakes win, Johnny Eves recorded his fifth win in 10 lifetime starts and nearly doubled his earnings to $324,720.
Son of Skimming, trained by Jay Robbins for Carl Hilliard Jr. and Sharon Hilliard of Mooncoin LLC, Johnny Eves covered 7 furlongs in 1:21.08 and paid $24, $12 and $9. Late runner Carrilero ridden by jockey Jose Valdivia finished second and returned $28 and $14.40. Horse Greeley with jockey Victor Espinoza came in third and paid $12.80 to show.
The $1 superfecta, with 54-1 shot Hurry Up Austin fourth, was $120,856.50. Favored Les Grands Trois (3-1) finished fifth, followed by Ididn’tdoanyhing, Incriminate, Silver Stetson Man, the previously unbeaten Divine Park, Unusual Suspect, Great Hunter, Cobalt Blue, E Z Warrior and Desert Code.
"Johnny Eves Wins Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park" was posted on 26 December 2007 8:47 PM under Horse Racing News, Horses, Stakes Races
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