Supah Blitz Third After 3-Year Absence

Grade II winner Supah Blitz, returning to competition after an absence of nearly three years, rallied for a third-place finish in a $32,000 claiming race at Santa Anita April 13.

Supah Blitz was claimed out of the race by Jeff Mullins for owner Less Blake

A winner of more than $1.3 million in his career, Supah Blitz, an 8-year-old by Mecke out of the graded stakes-winning Major Moran mare Boots 'n Jackie, was retired to stud shortly after winning the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) in his last start May 30, 2005.

Supah Blitz also captured such added-money races as the 2004 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) and the '05 Tokyo City Handicap (gr. III) among his eight career wins. His stakes-placings include efforts in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) and Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II). He won or placed in 20 stakes races. In March of 2005, he finished fourth behind Empire Maker   in the Florida Derby (gr. I) and later that spring ran 13th to Funny Cide in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

Supah Blitz initially stood at Rising Hill Farm near Ocala, Fla., then later was transferred to Tommy Town Thoroughbreds near Santa Ynez, Calif.

In his 39th career start, a 1 1/16-mile event on the synthetic main track, Supah Blitz trailed the field into the stretch and ran on well through the lane while six wide under jockey Alonso Quinonez. The race was won by 11-1 shot Sensational Score by three-quarters of a length, with runner-up Gold Trim finishing a half-length in front of Supah Blitz, who went off at odds of 9-1.

Doug O'Neill trained Supah Blitz for owners Tom and Jerry Kagele.

Bred in Florida by John Bush's Bee Bee Stables and the Tortora family's Equitor, Supah Blitz initially raced for Bee Bee Stables and Jacqueline Tortora. He was sold in the summer of 2004 to a partnership that included the Kagele brothers, Mark Leib, and Black Saddle Stable. O'Neill took the training from Emanuel Tortora following the exchange.

(Chart, Equibase)