ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Pure Tactics won the $75,000 Siren Lure Stakes by a nose over Rosengold at Santa Anita on Sunday.
Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Pure Tactics ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course in 1:13 and paid $11.20, $5.20 and $3.40 at 9-2 odds. It was the 5-year-old horse’s first win in three tries on the turf course.
Rosengold returned $9.20 and $5.40, while County Lineman was another half-length back in third and paid $3.60 to show. Chips All In, the 4-5 favorite, finished fifth in the field of six, beaten by 9 1/2 lengths.
Rosengold was leading and Pure Tactics was next-to-last at the top of the stretch. Instead of going outside a four-horse spread, Smith split horses three from the rail and held on for the narrow victory.
”That was the move that got it done,” winning trainer Doug O’Neill said.
The victory, worth $46,800, increased Pure Tactics’ career earnings to $260,011, with six wins in 15 starts.