ARCADIA, CA – Trainer Jeff Mullins hit the exacta when Hariboux gamely held off his stablemate K P All Systems Go in Saturday’s $150,000 Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Sent from the far outside post as the 4/5 favorite under Umberto Rispoli, Hariboux initially sat at the back alongside his teammate, but as he passed the wire for the first time, he was keen to run close and swept three-wide to run second. Ahead of him remained Dominant Soul, who posted opening fractions of :24.64, :49.63, and 1:14.22.
Still in hand entering the far turn, Hariboux waited to move until midway through, when K P All Systems Go ranged up along his outside. Fighting his way between K P All Systems Go and Dominant Soul, Hariboux straightened for home with a narrow lead while still under pressure from his stablemate.
Digging in gamely, Hariboux held sway in the stretch before crossing a neck ahead in a final time of 1:50.29 for the 1 1/8-mile firm turf route.
Heywoods Beach got up for third in the late stages over a tiring Dominant Soul, while Liar Liar failed to threaten in the stretch before completing the order of finish. Club Aspen and Constitutionaffair were scratched.
Hariboux’s win was his second straight following the Pasadena Stakes and improved his overall record to 11-6-2-1. The British-bred 3-year-old Havana Gold gelding has now earned $224,931 for co-owners Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal.
Hariboux returned $3.60 to win, $2.40 to place, and $2.10 to show. K P All Systems Go brought back $2.80 to place and $2.10 to show, while Heywoods Beach paid $2.10 to show.
