(Chart, Equibase)
Team Valor's Point Prince pulled a 29-1 upset in Saturday's $150,000 Appleton Handicap (gr. IIT), defeating front-running Krieger by 1 1/4 length in the one-mile grass event. Ridden by Manoel Cruz, Point Prince stayed to the inside and made a nice move between horses on the turn to get clear in the stretch for his run at Krieger, the 2-1 second choice in the field of nine.A lightly-raced 4-year-old Youmadeyourpoint gelding, Point Prince was making his second start in his second go-round for the Dale Romans barn. He competed for Jenine Sahadi in California for two races during the summer. The Appleton was Point Prince's third start since being vanned off following the Cinema Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park June 30.The winning time on a good turf was 1:37.84.Krieger, with Eibar Coa riding, was stalked by North East Bound and 9-5 favorite Balto Star through solid early fractions of :23 2/5, :47 2/5 and 1:12.21 before he pulled away from the tiring challengers on the final turn. Point Prince, saving ground most of the way, hooked up with Krieger in mid-stretch and put the stubborn front-runner away in the late stages. Krieger held on to second by a neck over Red Sea.Snapping a three-race losing streak, Point Prince, who drew into the race, was making his eighth career start. He notched his fourth win – the first in a stakes race – to go with a second and a third. The $90,000 winner's check improved his overall earnings to $143,580. Stanley M. Ersoff bred Point Prince in Florida.The winner paid $60.60, $16.80 and $7.80. Krieger returned $4 and $3.80. Red Sea's show price was $7. The $2 exacta $273.43.
