When Der Ali won Saturday's first race at Santa Anita, his $2 show payoff of $139.20 shattered a record that had stood for 68 years.Playmay paid the former record of $104.60 on Feb. 4, 1938.The show payoff on Der Ali, a 28-1 shot, was inflated when 1-5 favorite Denied finished fourth in the field of six after attracting 94.7% of the money wagered to show. The total show pool of $176,163 included $166,832 placed on the odds-on favorite.Denied came into the 1 1/8-mile starter allowance event in search of his fourth straight victory, but dropped back around the far turn after closely pursuing pacesetter Der Ali and another horse. He was virtually eased in the final furlong, but still finished fourth and walked off the track under his own power. The 8-year-old gelding previously had finished worse than third only once in 18 races while winning nine.Der Ali, meanwhile, entered the race with a single victory and one second in 21 starts. Trained by Jack Van Berg for Ar Bet Cin Stables, the 5-year-old gelding led wire-to-wire under jockey Juan Ochoa. He paid $59.40 to win and $30.80 to place.Playmay, whose show record was eradicated, still holds the Santa Anita record for win and place payoffs set in that 1938 race. He paid $673.40 to win and $148 to place.
(Chart, Equibase)
