Malibu Pier takes Santa Barbara at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Malibu Pier held off a huge rally from favorite Cozi Rosie to win the $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap for fillies and mares on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Brice Blanc, who took over when Rafael Bejarano chose to ride eventual fourth-place finisher Turning Top, Malibu Pier sat third for most of the Grade 2 Santa Barbara but seized the lead in the homestretch from pacesetter Restless Soul. Cozi Rosie and rider Mike Smith charged from last at the top of the stretch, but Malibu Pier held her off by a half-length for the victory, covering 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:00.22.

``Brice did a great job,'' Malibu Pier trainer Carla Gaines said. ``We just told him that she's got the natural speed to take the lead going a mile-and-quarter, but if someone else took it, she'd relax, but just to remember and hold off. She's got a great turn of foot, so he waited and used that at the end. It was a great result.''

Malibu Pier paid $9.60, $3.80 and $3. Cozi Rosie paid $3.40 and $2.80. Restless Soul paid $5.60 to show.

A 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, Malibu Pier has won five times in nine career starts and earned $342,200.

Earlier Saturday in the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap, Smith and heavy favorite Regally Ready led from the gate but had to work to beat Camp Victory by a nose, running about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita's downhill turf course in 1:12.33.

A 4-year-old gelding trained by Steve Asmussen, Regally Ready paid $3.60, $2.60 and $2.10. Camp Victory paid $4.40 and $3.20. Supreme Summit faded to third and returned $3.