ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Lucky Primo beat Got Even by a half-length in the $175,000 Lava Man California Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday, one of six races for California-breds.
Ridden by Tyler Baze, Lucky Primo ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.05 and paid $11.80, $7.80 and $4.60 for his first win on dirt.
Got Even returned $29.60 and $9.80, while 7-5 favorite John Scott was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $3.60 to show.
It was Baze's first stakes win since returning to riding Oct. 5. He was reinstated after more than a year's absence because of a failed Breathalyzer test at Del Mar in August 2011.
``At this stage of my career I'm definitely appreciating things more, especially the (horses) everybody's giving me right now,'' said Baze, who turns 30 on Oct. 19. ``I've got a whole lot of live horses people have been putting me on and it's just a blessing.''
The victory, worth $105,000, Lucky Primo increased his career earnings to $437,616, with six wins in 16 starts.
In other stakes:
-Trainer John Sadler finished 1-2 with Monument and Ballard Ruler in the $250,000 Bob Benoit Cal Cup Juvenile. Monument won by 2 3/4 lengths despite nearly brushing the inner rail inside the sixteenth pole. The 2-year-old colt ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.84.
Monument paid $12, $5.80 and $4.80. Ballard Ruler returned $5.80 and $4.20, while Star Rocker was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $6.80 to show.
Monument earned $137,5000 for the victory, giving him career winnings of $195,500 with three wins in four starts.
-Tiz Flirtatious rallied in the stretch under Joel Rosario to win the first division of the $100,000 John Deere Cal Cup Distaff by 1 3/4 lengths. She covered 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:11.70 and paid $9.20, $5.80 and $3.60 as the 7-2 favorite.
Best Present Ever returned $5.40 and $3, while Unusual Hottie was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $3 to show.
The victory, worth $60,000, increased Tiz Flirtatious' career earnings to $194,800, with four wins in five starts.
-Bella Viaggia won the second division of the Cal Cup Distaff by two lengths under Joe Talamo. She ran the distance in 1:12.02 and paid $21.40, $9.60 and $6.40 for her third straight win and first on the turf.
Missdealornodeal was second and Cayanna was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Bella Viaggia earned $60,000, increasing her career winnings to $155,000 with three wins in four starts.
-Maui Mark rallied five-wide in deep stretch to win the $100,000 Donald Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint by a half-length under Garrett Gomez. The 7-year-old gelding ran six furlongs in 1:09.03 and paid $19, $10.20 and $6.80 in his first race since July 25 at Saratoga.
Ain't No Other returned $6.20 and $4.40, while Obsess was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $8 to show.
Maui Mark earned $60,000, increasing his career winnings to $364,568 with 10 wins in 26 starts.
- Tilde won the $250,000 Keith E. Card Cal Cup Juvenile Fillies by a half-length under Rafael Bejarano. She ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.56 and paid $6.20, $4.40 and $3.20 as the 2-1 favorite in the field of 10 2-year-old fillies.
Doinghardtimeagain returned $11 and $6.80, while Cotton's Point was another 5 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $6 to show.
Owned, bred and trained by Mike Harrington, Tilde earned $137,500, increasing her career winnings to $332,560, with four wins in five starts.
