California Flag Wins Express
After a disappointing result in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last October, California Flag rebounded by destroying the field in the $150,000 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) on Saturday. The four-year-old opened up a lead in the final stretch and won the race by 4½ lengths. He ran the six-furlong event in 1:08.81 with quarter-mile fractions of :23.84 and :45.83 while racing just off the fence.
Jockey Joe Talamo had an easy job aboard the grandson of Seattle Slew. “I don’t think I’ve ever won a race that easily,” Talamo said. “When a horse is running that good for you there’s no sense using him up. Just as soon save him for the next time.”
At the end of the race Racketeer was closing the gap on the outside, but he would have needed another furlong to run down the lead California Flag had established. Racketeer finished in second place, beating out Delta Storm by a half length. Delta Storm needed a photo to affirm his show, narrowly edging out Carrilero.
California Flag brought his record to 5-0-1 in 13 starts, and his career earnings to $283,216. Owner Brian Koriner could only wonder what could have been if his horse would have been run properly in the BC Turf Sprint. “The horse is great and he’s fresh,” Koriner said. “It’s hard to believe he won so easy against some pretty nice horses.
I think if we didn’t give Joe instructions to run off at the Breeders’ Cup it might have been a whole different ball game.”
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