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Pick Pony | Sept. 14, 2024, 3:55 p.m.
The California-bred son of Danzing Candy, out of the Holy Bull mare Seaside Sanctuary, had a lot going for him in this allowance sprint a six furlongs on the main track. When trainer Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez and jockey Harry Hernandez have combined forces this year, they are now winning at a 60-percent clip. Bandera Azteca’s win put that combo at three-for-five together this year.
If a horse is coming out of Ramirez-Rodriguez’s barn for the second time under his tutelage it’s been a lead-pipe cinch so far despite a small sampling. The trainer, who took over for the now-retired Karl Broberg, has sent out two horses this year for the second time and both won in that second start. Ramirez-Rodriguez has now won with 5-of-his-last-13 starters at Remington Park, earning hot barn status.
Hernandez moved into sole possession of fourth place in the jockeys’ standings, winning for the 12th time this meet, putting him 14 wins behind leader Stewart Elliott, after he posted another riding triple Friday night. Floyd Wethey, Jr., is in second with 17 wins and David Cabrera third at 14.
Bandera Azteca was set down in fourth, a couple of lengths back of the front-runners in this six-furlong sprint and pounced at the top of the stretch. He did not put his competitors in his rear view mirror with ease, however. Heir to Greatness (6-1) fought back and actually made a move to get back in front in the final stages after being passed and just missed. Bandera Azteca, sent off as the prohibitive 3-5 wagering favorite, had to fight every inch of the way to win by a head. He paid $3 to win, $2.20 to place and $2.10 to show.
Heir to Greatness was another 2-1/4 lengths ahead of third-place runner Sitka (6-1).
Bandera Azteca earned $21,000 from the $35,000 purse for owner Breakaway Stable (Theodore Grevelis) of Shakopee, Minn., and improved lifetime to 36 starts, 10 wins, five seconds and three thirds for a bankroll of $245,423. The winner was bred in California by Agustin Velazquez.
Bandera Azteca cut into early fractions of :22.23 for the first quarter-mile, :45.59 for the half-mile and :58.12 for five-eighths of a mile before stopping the timer in 1:11.14. The pacesetter was Sitka.
Ramirez-Rodriguez also scored a second-place finish in the first race of the night with Rollin Chrome, a recent claim. For the meet now, the trainer has had 16 starts, winning five, running second four times and third once. He is tied with J.R. Caldwell and Karen Jacks in sixth. Steve Asmussen continues to lead the way, getting his 10th win of the meet in the final race of the night with Crafty Aunt (Elliott up). That put him three ahead of two other trainers tied for second – Jayde Gelner and Dick Cappellucci.