Luis A. Asistio's Kalookan Queen, the 3-5 favorite while packing high weight of 123 pounds, made it two in a row by powerfully taking the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III), a 6 ½-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares at Del Mar Sunday .With regular rider Alex Solis in the saddle, Kalookan Queen took command turning into the stretch and drawing away to the wire by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:16 2/5. Warren's Whistle rallied to be second, a half-length in front of longshot Fancee Bargain, with well-regarded Go Go a distant fourth in the field of five. Ayanna, who set the early pace, tired to be fifth and last."She's so classy," said Solis. "I never hit her. I just showed her the stick. She was running as hard as she could run. Riding her kind is nice. It is special." Kalookan Queen, a 6-year-old daughter of Lost Code trained by veteran Bruce Headley, paid $3.20. The victory was her tenth in 23 starts and first money of $90,000 boosted her career earnings to $896,049. A year ago, she defeated Go Go by a head in the same race.Headly said he would like to race Kalookan Queen against males in the Ancient Title next."This mare is awfully sharp," he said. "She's getting better with age and she loves this racetrack."
(Chart, Equibase)