Unusual Heatwave wins Snow Chief Stakes

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) - Unusual Heatwave collared Stoney Fleece in the closing yards to win the $300,000 Snow Chief Stakes by a half-length on California Gold Rush day at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday, with jockey Rafael Bejarano winning five races including three stakes a day after being sworn in as a U.S. citizen.

The 29-year-old Peru-born rider also rode five winners on Gold Rush Day in 2009. Bejarano has won five stakes through the first three days of the track's spring-summer meet.

Unusual Heatwave ran 1 1-8 miles in 1:51.63 and paid $7.40, $3.60 and $2.80. 19-10 favorite Stoney Fleece returned $3.40 and $3.20, while Dylan Donnelly was another 1 1-4 lengths back in third and paid $4.20 to show.

``It was a good trip,'' said Bejarano, whose 16 Gold Rush wins are second on the career list. ``I followed the favorite the whole way and stayed out of trouble. At the beginning, it didn't look like he wanted to go, but at the half-mile pole he really picked it up.''

Unusual Heatwave earned his second win in nine starts to increase his bankroll to $265,262.

In the $288,000 Melair Stakes, 11-10 favorite Willa B Awesome edged Starry Skies by a nose under Martin Pedroza, who returned less than two weeks after breaking his ribs in a spill at Santa Anita. She paid $4.20, $2.40 and $2.10. Starry Skies returned $3.20 and $2.20, while Starlight Magic was another 3 1-2 lengths back in third and paid $2.40 to show.

Willa B Awesome ran nine furlongs in 1:43.33 under high weight of 124 pounds. It was her fifth win in 13 starts with career earnings of $578,896.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the career-leading Gold Rush trainer with 11 victories, added two wins. Gatheratthealter won the $72,800 Grey Memo by a head, while 2-1 favorite Sparkling Style won the $71,400 Warren's Thoroughbreds by 2 1-2 lengths.

Joe Talamo rode Sparkling Style, who ran seven furlongs on the synthetic Cushion Track in 1:23.71.

Bejarano rode Gatheratthealter, going seven furlongs in 1:23.74.

The jockey's easiest win was by 7 1-4 lengths aboard Mobilized in the $125,000 Tiznow Stakes despite losing his whip with about three furlongs to go. Mobilized ran 7 1-2 furlongs in 1:29.47, giving him six wins in 22 starts and earnings of $360,080.

Mobilized paid $7.80, $3.40 and $2.80. Italian Rules, the 2-1 favorite, returned $3.60 and $2.40. Italian Rules was another half-length back in third and paid $7.20 to show.

Another of Bejarano's winners, Warren's Jitterbug, rallied to win the $125,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes.

Warren's Internet won the $60,000 Alphabet Kisses Stakes, while Valentine Boy took the $60,000 NTRA Stakes.