Surrey Star wins La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Surrey Star took the lead at the top of the stretch Sunday and held off a rally from favorite Major Art to win the $100,000 La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita.

Returning to the turf after two shoddy starts on dirt, the Irish-bred 3-year-old Surrey Star and jockey Joe Talamo cut to the rail to take the lead as the field drifted out and won by a half-length for the colt's first U.S. victory in four tries.

The winner covered 1 1-8 miles in 1:48.70 and paid $7.60, $3 and $2.40. Major Art paid $3 and $2.20. Jakesam was third and paid $2.40 to show.

Surrey Star, trained by James Cassidy for owner Joe Massino, earned $60,000 for the victory, his second in a dozen career starts, for a lifetime total of $137,196.

Talamo ranks fourth behind leader Joel Rosario in Santa Anita's overall jockey standings as the meet enters its final week, but he has dominated the season's turf races, earning his 25th win on grass in the La Puente.

``The race set up perfectly for me,'' Talamo said. ``When I called on him, he had an explosive turn of foot.''

Cassidy said his colt also handles the turf beautifully, and the experiment with the main track is over.

``We're not going back to the dirt,'' the trainer said. ``It's just not his thing.''