Golden State Series Bertrando Stakes

FAMILY FIRST

DESMOND DOSS WINS FIRST STAKES IN BERTRANDO

BY TRACY GANTZ

Nick Alexander had a particular reason for claiming Malley Girl, the dam of $100,000 Bertrando Stakes winner Desmond Doss, for $62,500 in 2006. Alexander was pretty much responsible for the f lly’s family.

“T e line has been in our family for a long, long time,” Alexander said.

Alexander bought Reckless Rose, Desmond Doss’ third dam, for $10,500 as a yearling in 1986 from T ree Rings Ranch at auction. Reckless Rose’s foals include Alexander homebred Sunday’s Child, Desmond Doss’ second dam.

“I went through a really down year, and I got discouraged and I sold of her mom and her,” said Alexander.

T us, Blooming Hills bred Malley Girl, a daughter of Malek and winner of the 2005 Cover Gal Stakes.

“T ey put her in for $62,500, and I claimed her,” said Alexander. “I’ve always loved the family. Desmond Doss has a couple of siblings that were useful horses and stakes-placed, but the mare had never produced a stakes winner before. I was happy that we f nally got there.”

To the cover of Alexander’s good California sire Grazen, Malley Girl has produced stakesplaced Grazenette and Shy Carmelita. She also has six-f gure earners Gracias and Hazardous when bred to other stallions.

At f rst it looked like Desmond Doss, also by Grazen, might be another stakes-placed runner for Malley Girl. Earlier this year, the 5-year-old entire horse ran second in the Tiznow Stakes and third in the Sensational Star Stakes. But he put it all together for trainer Steve Miyadi and jockey Abel Cedillo in the June 26 Bertrando at Los Alamitos going a mile.

Desmond Doss broke alertly from the rail and quickly took the lead, then relinquished it to Scary Fast Smile into the f rst turn. Tom’s Surprise and jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. hustled up on the rail, which put Desmond Doss third between horses going down the backside.

Miyadi said after the race that he thought Desmond Doss would be positioned where Tom’s Surprise was early.

“I think that was the plan when he

Nick Alexander’s Desmond Doss, a handsome gray homebred son of Grazen, defeats Tom’s Surprise in the Bertrando Stakes at Los Alamitos came out of the gate,” said the trainer. “But Valdivia covered him up like you’re supposed to do.” Desmond Doss then gave up even more ground, running fourth of the f ve runners as the f eld headed into the f nal turn. But as it turned out, that allowed Cedillo to rally the horse outside of rivals deep in the turn. Once Desmond Doss had a clear path in the stretch, he wore down Tom’s Surprise to score by a half-length in 1:36.80, with Luvluv third. “We had to wait on the turn,” said Cedillo. “He’s a steady, steady type horse, and once he got out for the stretch run, he went after the leader and got him.” Desmond Doss is equally adept on dirt or turf. “I’d like to keep him on dirt, but the next level on dirt against open company is tougher, especially at Del Mar,” said Miyadi. A strapping gray, Desmond Doss was winning his f fth race in 15 starts. “He’s a warrior,” said Alexander. “He’s a beautiful, beautiful horse, a big, strong, gorgeous Trainer Steve Miyadi, left, joins Nick Alexander, with trophy, horse. He’s always been a pretty and jockey Abel Cedillo in the Los Alamitos winner’s circle easy horse to be around.”

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