Going farther than he ever had before, Worth Repeating turned back the strong bid of Honour the Deputy in deep stretch for his first stakes win in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup (gr. III) at Santa Anita March 26 (VIDEO).
The 5-year-old homebred son for B Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm tallied by a half-length in an 8-1 upset, completing the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:29.23 over a fast track. This was the first start on a dirt track in 19 races for the son of Giant's Causeway who is out of the A.P. Indy mare Lady Nichola.
Martin Pedroza, returning from a hard fall two races earlier when his mount Brenthurst broke down, got the victory for trainer Richard Mandella.
“In my country (Panama) they teach you not to be scared in the jockey school," Pedroza said. "What we do is very dangerous and we just take it a day at a time. If you fall you just have to bounce back and forget about it. If you keep it in the back of your head you won’t be successful. When I went down today and I didn’t break a bone, I knew I was good to go.”
Just five contested the Tokyo City. Worth Repeating tracked the pacesetter Arcodoro closely along the inside through a half-mile in :49.45 and the mile in 1:38.69, popping his head in front on the final turn. He led by one length at the quarter pole.
Worth Repeating kicked clear to a two-length advantage mid-stretch and staved off the late charge of Honour the Deputy. The latter, saving ground for Corey Nakatani, angled out for a four-wide bid into the stretch and charged home willingly but was unable to get past the winner, who got the job done under strong urging from Pedroza.
"He was very game," said Seth Semkin, speaking for the Hughes team on behalf of Mandella, who was in Dubai with Champ Pegasus . "Richard had always felt if this horse could run over a long distance of ground, he’d be pretty tough, because he’s a grinder. He just gallops and gallops, and he always wanted to give him a try."
Spurrier was 1 1/2 lengths farther back in third with Martin Garcia aboard, edging 17-10 favorite Soul Candy for third by three parts of a length. Arcodoro trailed.
Worth Repeating earned $60,000 for his third career win, boosting his bankroll to $199,440. Third in last summer's Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT), the bay horse was coming off a runner-up finish in a $62,5000 claiming event on the Santa Anita turf March 3. Fifteen of his prior races have been on grass.
“I rode this horse before (in the Del Mar Handicap) and this is the kind that once you ride it, you fall in love with it," Pedroza said. "He ran good and Richard (Mandella) was very happy. But Richard has his own riders and I was hoping to hook up with this horse again someday in the future. Today was the day."
The winner carried 118 pounds and paid $18.20, $5.60, and $3.20. Honour the Deputy, the 120-pound top weight for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, returned $3.80 and $2.60 and completed a $53 exacta. Spurrier, from the Bob Baffert barn, was $2.60 to show in his first start since running eighth in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 5.
Hollendorfer scratched Rendezvous.
Worth Repeating repels Honour the Deputy to win the Tokyo City Cup.
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