Pleasant Acres runners explode from Florida to Delaware

For several months, Treasure Beach has been locked in a five-way battle for the ninth through 13th spots on Florida’s general sire list, and when yesterday’s racing began, he was lolling in 12th place. Thanks to three superb riding performances on the turf in the span of an hour and 36 minutes, two by Carol Cedeno and one by Jose Garcia, the son of Galileo opens today’s programs having jumped all the way up to ninth.

The banner afternoon began in the fourth race at Delaware Park, off at 2:53. Wine at the Beach, bred by Christine Jones, was making his return to the races after a layoff of more than nine months. After not being able to find his way to the winner’s circle in his first eight starts at Gulfstream Park, the 4-year-old gelding left town and won two of his next three at Parx and Colonial Downs.

Wine at the Beach went off at 11-1 with Cedeno aboard for this 7 1/2-furlong grass test. He broke on top, then Cedeno eased him back to a stalking second. When she asked him to run, Wine at the Beach left the field behind and won by 3 1/4 lengths without being threatened down the lane, receiving an 89 ‘E’ rating from Equibase, his best in 12 starts. The $18,000 OBS April 2-year-old boosted his record to 3-0-1, including three victories in the last four, and the $12,600 winner’s check increased his total to $54,480. The gelding paid $24.40, $10.40 and $6.40, and it is rumored his breeder was all over it.

At 4:11, Splendor Beach went to the post as the 2-1 favorite in a one-mile turf race at Tampa Bay Downs. The 3-year-old filly was bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon and is owned by them in partnership with JC Thoroughbreds. She made a brief jump in the air at the break and was off last in the 10-horse field with Jose Garcia, but steadily picked off horses with a comfortable wide run down the backstretch.

Splendor Beach had just three left in front of her turning for home and she took care of two of them in short order. She then ran down She Broke My Heart in the final strides, picking up four lengths in the last sixteenth as announcer Richard Grunder called the wrong horse – until she crossed the finish line. It was her first victory in eight starts and was worth $6,670 plus the breeders’ award, the fourth in six days earned by the Barbazons.

At 4:29 it was Sugar Fix’s turn, also at Delaware with Cedeno again aboard for the ride. The 3-year-old filly has been on fire after losing her first four starts, and is 5-2-0 in seven tries since, including this one at one mile on the turf. Cedeno had her in a stalking position in second while two-wide, and when she made her run, Sugar Fix cruised into the lead, then held off fast-closing favorite Sister Otoole, a daughter of Amira’s Prince also bred by the Barbazons, by three-quarters of a length. She earned $24,600 for the victory, raising her total to $76,768.