Desormeaux’s Oak Leaf Mistake Is Erased by Delahoussaye’s Win

Even when things go wrong, trainer Bob Baffert wins.

Victimized by Kent Desormeaux’s questionable ride on Eastside Westside, the 9-5 favorite in the $200,000 Oak Leaf Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, Baffert nevertheless was able to win the Grade I event with his other entrant, Vivid Angel.

The 4-1 third choice in the field of nine 2-year-old fillies and wearing blinkers for the first time, the daughter of Septieme Ciel got the ride Baffert desired from Eddie Delahoussaye and she responded with her third victory in four starts. She beat 7-2 second choice Love Lock by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:37 1/5 for the mile. Balisian Beauty was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

“I told Eddie I wanted her on the lead,” Baffert said. “I said ‘Just break and go.’ ”

Meanwhile, Eastside Westside, who stayed close to the pace in her 12-length maiden win at Del Mar last month, was last early under Desormeaux, hardly the place anyone expected her to be. “I asked Kent if he thought he was riding Secretariat,” said Baffert, who didn’t lose any faith in the Eastern Echo filly, who wound up sixth.

Nor did Desormeaux, who had his own explanation for why the favorite was last for the first half-mile.

“I had some trouble on the first turn,” he said. “I had a horse that went from the fence to eight-wide and I was stuck outside of her. Instead of pressing on, I elected to back behind her and that left me with way too much to do. She’s still a very nice filly. I just used bad tactics in riding today.”

Still, nothing could be taken away from the winner, who races for owners Ed and Natalie Friendly, and she earned herself a spot opposite Eastern queen Countess Diana in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“She’s been training beautifully and she was dead fit for this race,” Baffert said. “I like the way she dug in and kept going. This filly is for real. I had my doubts about her going two turns, but I’ve changed my mind.”

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Taking advantage of a good trip, something others in the race didn’t get, Fantastic Fellow won the $275,000 Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile, beating an unlucky Magellan by a head in 1:36 1/5.

Bouncing back from a disappointing effort in the Del Mar Derby on Sept. 1, the 3-year-old Lear Fan colt won for the fifth time in 11 starts, but he was fortunate. Magellan was blocked through most of the stretch run and was flying once clear, and Japan’s Taiki Blizzard, who finished third, was wide throughout after failing to handle the first turn.

“If he comes out of the race well, we’ll probably go to the Breeders’ Cup [Mile],” said Richard Mulhall, racing manager for the Thoroughbred Corporation of Prince Ahmed bin Salman, who owns Fantastic Fellow. “I think a mile or a mile and a sixteenth suits him best.

Fantastic Fellow, who paid $10.20 as the third choice, was ridden by Alex Solis and is trained by Wayne Lukas. Pinfloron, the 2-1 favorite, finished fourth.

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Victories have been rather difficult to come by for Skip Away this year, but the 4-year-old son of Skip Trial was dominant Saturday, easily winning the $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park for the second consecutive year.

Engaging 9-10 favorite Siphon from the start of the 1 1/4-mile race, he drew away to win by six lengths in 1:58 4/5.

Ridden for the first time by Jerry Bailey, the 17-10 second choice picked up his third victory in 10 1997 starts.

Siphon faded to fourth, a little more than 17 lengths behind Skip Away, in a Gold Cup that was marred by the fatal breakdown of Coup D’Argent. Gary Stevens, who was riding the 5-year-old for Lukas, went down, but was uninjured. So too was John Velasquez, who was aboard Golden Larch, who stumbled over the fallen Coup D’Argent.

Also at Belmont Park, Lukas and Stevens teamed to win the $400,000 Champagne with favored Grand Slam, then survived a foul claim by Jean-Luc Samyn, the rider of third-place finisher Halory Hunter. Odds-on choice Lucky Coin won for the seventh time in his last eight starts in the $200,000 Kelso Handicap, and Val’s Prince, the 5-2 third choice in a field of five, won the $500,000 Turf Classic.

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In her first race since taking the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 20 and her prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 8 at that same track, Twice The Vice is the 7-5 favorite against only four others in the $175,000 Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup Handicap today at Santa Anita.

Owned by Marty and Pam Wygod and trained by Ron Ellis, the 6-year-old Vice Regent mare has won of nine starts on the Santa Anita dirt and her main rival and 8-5 second choice is Sharp Cat, who also is returning from a layoff.

Sharp Cat, who hasn’t run since winning the Hollywood Oaks on July 6, also is prepping for the Distaff. She could find herself on an easy lead under Alex Solis in the 1 1/16-mile race and has won three of four locally.