Outsider Cee's Irish and odds-on favorite Miss Loren captured Santa Anita's twin $75,000 feature races Friday, the Blue Norther Stakes and the Paseana Handicap, respectively.
Cee's Irish, a 3-year-old California-bred daughter of Cee's Tizzy owned by The Merv Griffin Ranch Co., trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Tyler Baze, paid $17.40 and covered one mile on a firm turf course in 1:38.37 under 122 pounds. She won by three-quarters of a length and earned $60,960, including her Cal-bred owner's share, for her third win from six career starts. She has earned $154,920 overall.
Royal Copenhagen was second under Rene Douglas, 1 ½ lengths in front of Conveyer's Angel, the 13-10 favorite who rallied from last in the field of six 3-year-old fillies to finish a non-menacing third.
Shush, Wise Investor and Quiet Honor completed the order of finish.
Cee's Irish prompted the pace throughout and opened a slight lead while on the rail turning for home, then held her foes safe to the wire.(Chart, Equibase)
Miss Loren, a 7-year-old Argentine-bred mare trained by Luis Seglin and owned by the Liers Corporation of Maria Alejandra Bago of Miami, stalked pace-setting Valentine Dancer into the stretch. She took command with authority from the outside and won by 4 ½ lengths under a tight hold from jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. She carried 119 pounds over 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.08 in winning for the 12th time from 44 career starts and paid $3.40 as the favorite in the field of five older fillies and mares.
Valentine Dancer held second, 4 ½ lengths in front of Bartok's Blithe. La Sami and Beaucette completed the order of finish. Petionville Indeed was scratched.
Miss Loren earned $46,860, increasing her overall earnings to $466,260. Seglin, a 58-year-old native of Argentina, said Miss Loren would be pointed to the Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I) on Feb. 13.
(Chart, Equibase)