MENTAL ERROR DOES EVERYTHING RIGHT, SANCHEZ CLOSING IN ON ALL-TIME STAKES WIN RECORD
Bobby Simmons’ Mental Error made no mistakes on the way to scoring an impressive 1 ¼ length win over a strong group of rivals in the $20,000 First Day Of Spring Stakes at 350 yards on Saturday at Los Alamitos.
Ridden by Ramon Sanchez for trainer Paul Jones, Mental Error scored the first stakes win of his career after covering the distance in a time of :17.48. His strong effort also assisted Sanchez in taking one more step towards the becoming the all-time leading jockey in Quarter Horse stakes wins at Los Alamitos. Sanchez has now won 149 stakes win here and is now only four away from tying Eddie Garcia for the track record at the Orange County oval. Never one to talk about his accomplishment, Sanchez was his usual quiet self after his winning ride.
“First, I just want to enjoy this victory and then I’ll think about the other things,” Sanchez said. “I’m always thinking about the next (win). Mental Error ran extremely well, and he surprised me because he was facing some tough horses.”
Leave it to Paul Jones to praise Sanchez, as together they have won 1,082 races for over $21 million in purses at Los Alamitos, including the Cypress Speed Stakes on Friday night.
“He’s a great rider and deserves the record,” Jones said. “Hopefully we can achieve it this year. It’s been a great week with winning two stakes races for both of us. It’s like the old days. I’ve been in a little slump, but we’re coming back.”
Sired by Favorite Cartel and out of the Chicks Beduino mare Iba Quick Chick, Mental Error earned $11,000 for the win to take his bankroll to $356,444. The Steve Burns-bred 4-year-old gelding also improved to five wins from 17 starts.
“He’s on when he gets a good break from the gates,” Jones said. “If he gets a good clean break and a good clean race, he’s on. He’s hard to beat. The races when he’s not run well it’s when he gets a little cantankerous in the gates. He’ll whip his head around and get himself beat out of the gates and get himself in trouble. He’s caused his own faults. When he gets away and on his feet, he’s a heck of a horse.”
Rosenthal Ranch’s Runforyourlife, the winner of the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity, finished strongly for second to earn $4,500. Martha Wells’ Old School Icon was third and was followed by Dr Tool, All Prettied Up, Cartel Rocks, and Stolen Lives.
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