Tanda takes Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) - Favored 4-year-old filly Tanda took the lead on the turn and faced no serious challenge as she won the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap, a sprint for fillies and mares on Sunday at Del Mar.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, who won two stakes Sunday, Tanda was a distant third in the small field of four in the early going, but took a 1 1/2-length lead at the halfway point and went on to beat She's Cheeky by 1 1/4 lengths, covering 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.34.

``I just sat on her to the top of the lane, then let her loose,'' Talamo said. ``She actually started waiting on horses after we cut away from them. But she was fine. Ones like her are a pleasure to ride.''

Trained by Mike Mitchell for owner Tommy Hutton's Dream Stable, Tanda paid $4.80 and $3. She's Cheeky paid $3.80 to place. There was no show betting because of the small field.

Mitchell said the seemingly easy win in the relatively minor Grade 3 stakes was more significant than it appeared because he is trying to take Tanda to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs in November.

``If you're planning on the Breeders' Cup, this was a must-win. You had to win this race. You couldn't run second.''

Later in the $100,000 Solana Beach Handicap, Talamo led another favored filly, Halo Dolly, to a 1 1/4-length victory over Warren's Jitterbug in the $100,000 Solana Beach Handicap, a turf mile for fillies and mares.

Halo Dolly's win, along with two earlier in the day at Golden Gate Fields, left trainer Jerry Hollendorfer just three shy of becoming only the fourth trainer to earn 6,000 career victories.