Alert Bay Makes It Four Straight in Mathis Bros. Mile

Winless in three starts at two, Alert Bay (City Zip) scored for the seventh time in 10 starts this season and remained perfect in four appearances since a private purchase by these connections earlier this summer. 

Winner of this track’s restricted Echo Eddie S. going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main in April, Alert Bay was third in the grassy Snow Chief S. for Cal-breds Apr. 26 and got a brief freshening off a second to Awesome Return (Decarchy) in Golden Gate’s Silky Sullivan S. 

June 8. Fifth to Red Outlaw (Tribal Rule) in Del Mar’s state-bred Real Good Deal S. on the Polytrack Aug. 1, the dark bay was snapped up by this British Columbia-based owner with an eye on some major prizes at Hastings Park. The plan came to fruition with a two-length victory in the GIII British Columbia Derby Sept. 14 and a defeat of his elders in the GIII Premiers’ H. Oct. 13 and he was exiting another six-figure payday in the Zia Park Derby Nov. 26. 

Drawn well in post four for this return to the infield, Alert Bay hit the ground running and got the perfect spot tucked away one back?on the fence as Red Outlaw–quarter-horsed and cracked by Edwin Maldonado to hold the rail–was prompted by Midwest shipper Heart to Heart (English Channel) and those two layed down only moderate fractions. 
Biding his time until the quarter pole, Tyler Baze was able to extricate himself from the box seat and came out and around Heart to Heart and inside of GII Twilight Derby hero Long On Value (Value Plus) to thrown down his challenge into the final furlong. Home Run Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) was also finding his best stride and it appeared that his momentum would get him to the wire first, but Alert Bay kept on gamely to the inside for the victory. 

“I’m really confident in this horse; the horse is just amazing,” commented victorious jockey Tyler Baze. “I started with him last January. I missed out on riding him at Del Mar when my baby was born, but for the owners to stick with me is just real special. I had so much confidence in him, he’s proven everybody wrong. The horse never gets the respect he deserves; he’s a really talented horse. A couple times when we ran second or third we had a bit of a rough trip, but today I was happy when the horse inside me broke slow. I’m really going to ride him with confidence because he’s a push-button horse who really gives it his all. He always gives 150%.” 

Friday, Santa Anita
MATHIS BROTHERS MILE S.-GII, $201,250, SAX, 12-26, 3yo, 1mT, 1:35, fm. 
1–ALERT BAY, 120, g, 3, by City Zip 
     1st Dam: Hickory (Chi) (MSW & G1SP-Chi), by Dushyantor 
     2nd Dam: Hanging Valley, by Cox’s Ridge 
     3rd Dam: Mairzy Doates, by Nodouble 
($65,000 yrl ’12 KEEJAN; $42,000 RNA yrl ’12 
KEESEP). O-Peter Redekop B C Ltd; B-Thomas 
Newton Bell & Ross John McLeod (CA); T-Blaine D 
Wright; J-Tyler Baze. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 
13-7-4-1, $617,207. Werk Nick Rating: A++. 
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Home Run Kitten, 118, c, 3, Kitten’s Joy–Grand 
Slam Girl, by Grand Slam. O-Tarabilla Farms Inc; 
B-Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey (KY); T-David E 
Hofmans. $40,000. 
3–Awesome Return, 118, c, 3, Decarchy–Awesome 
Broad, by Mr. Broad Blade. O/B-Richard Kritzski (CA); 
T-Mike Puype. $24,000. 
Margins: NK, 1, HF. Odds: 9.20, 4.80, 17.20. 
Also Ran: Heart to Heart, Talco (Fr), Red Outlaw, Long On Value, Patriots Rule, Sawyer’s Hill, Louisiana Flyboy. Scratched: Ashleyluvssugar, Cool Samurai, Play Hard to Get, Tonito M..
Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.