Southern Cal surprises in Calder Turf Sprint

Southern Cal earned his first stakes win on Sunday (Jim Lisa Photos) Calder’s Summit of Speed program, which was postponed one day because of Hurricane Dennis, went off without a hitch on Sunday, featuring eight stakes worth $1.9 million. Four of those stakes were graded, but the other four still provided some exciting racing. David S. Romanik’s SOUTHERN CAL (Halo’s Image) pulled off a slight upset in the $100,000 Calder Turf Sprint H. under Hall of Famer Russell Baze, who was making his first career start over the Miami, Florida course. Trained by Ron Spatz, Southern Cal took the lead while racing on the hedge and drew away to post a 2 3/4-length victory. The four-year-old gelding finished five furlongs on the yielding turf in :58. “I was actually using this race as a prep for him for some later races, like a springboard for some longer races here,” Spatz said. “He has some minor physical problems that keep him from training too much. Sprinting is really not his game, as he has to use himself hard. Sometimes he runs into the turns too fast and just doesn’t make them that well. But he did well today and I’m very pleased.” Southern Cal earned his first stakes victory in this one and now owns a 12-6-2-0 career mark and $158,790 in lifetime earnings. Sent off the 9-1 fourth choice in the 11-horse field, he paid $20.80, $9.20 and $6 while starting lucrative exotics of $261.80 (exacta), $3,695.60 (trifecta) and $26,063.40 (3-1-9-8 superfecta).

The $50,000
Rocket Man S. got the stakes action off to a quick start, with
Albert Sanges’ THATS THE PROBLEM (Lit de Justice) holding off veteran Caller One
(Phone Trick), who hasn’t raced since a third-place finish in this event last
year, by a length. The Frank Carlisi trainee went two furlongs on the fast track
in :21 1/5 under Abdiel Toribio.

“I’m happy that he won, but disappointed that he’s leaving,” Carlisi said.
“(Trainer) Noel Randall sent him down to me just for this race. He told me to
just take care of him until the race. (Thats the Problem) was here for about
five days and then he’ll leave tomorrow and go back to Fort Erie.”

Thats the Problem increased his earnings to $277,900 to go along with a
21-12-3-0 lifetime record. Caller One’s trainer, James Chapman, said his charge
will race for the rest of the year.

J.E.B. Stable’s IN SUMMATION (Put it Back) posted an easy 1 1/4-length score
in the $75,000
Birdonthewire S. going 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track. With
Manoel Cruz holding the reins, the Frank Gomez-conditioned juvenile stopped the teletimer in 1:05 3/5 to run his line to three wins from as many starts. The
dark bay broke his maiden by 4 3/4 lengths in May, then captured the B L’s Sweep
S. by 10 3/4 easy lengths prior to this one. Gomez said In Summation, who pushed
his earnings to $85,800, will point toward the Florida Stallion S. series.

Keith Lee & Larry McKinney’s MYKINDASAINT (Saint Ballado) came out of a
six-length maiden win on May 25 at Lone Star Park to take the $75,000
Cassidy S. by 2
3/4 lengths. Trained by C.W. Cascio and ridden in the 5 1/2-furlong test by
Jerry Bailey, the chestnut miss posted a time of 1:06 1/5 for her second career
start and now shows $36,900 in lifetime earnings.