ESPN.com - Horse Racing - Got Koko upsets La Brea

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Saturday, December 28
Got Koko upsets La Brea




ARCADIA, Calif. -- Got Koko won her graded stakes debut with a late rally in Saturday's $200,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Got Koko ($36.60) finished seven furlongs in 1:22.57. She ran down runner-up Spring Meadow, a stakes winner at Lone Star Park last summer, who was followed by the longshot Erica's Smile in third and Bella Bellucci in fourth.

You, the 4-5 favorite, was near the pace early. She challenged pacesetter Erica's Smile on the turn, but faded through the stretch to finish fifth in the field of 10.

You's loss was a setback for trainer Bobby Frankel in his attempt to set an earnings record. He entered the day needing $188,390 to surpass trainer D. Wayne Lukas's single-season earnings record of $17,842,358, set in 1988. On Saturday, Frankel earned only $58,972 from You's fifth-place finish and a first and a third in the Hill Rise Stakes.

Got Koko has won 4 of 8 starts and $242,946 for owners Paul Leung and trainer Bruce Headley. She won her first stakes in the restricted Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar in September.

Two straight for Peace Rules
Frankel won the $76,350 Hill Rise Stakes for 2-year-olds with Peace Rules, who was heavily favored off the strength of his victory in the Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park on Nov. 30.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Peace Rules stalked Puget Sound through a quick pace of 23.50 and 46.32 seconds. On the second turn, Peace Rules engaged Puget Sound and took a commanding lead of 2 1/2 lengths in midstretch.

Singletary closed from fourth to threaten Peace Rules, but the rally fell short by three-quarters of a length. Peace Rules finished a mile on turf in 1:35.44

Peace Rules has won two of three starts since being acquired by Edmund Gann and transferred to Frankel. Peace Rules won the Generous Stakes following a second in the restricted Pinjara Stakes here on Oct. 24.

Bis Repetitas, trained by Frankel and coupled in the betting with Peace Rules, finished third, followed by Provincetown and Puget Sound.

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