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After being away for nearly a year, Polytrack speed dash specialist California Eagle was back in his element on Sunday.
This was when bursting through in the last furlong to claim victory in the $60,000 World Airlines 2007 Stakes, an Open Benchmark 67 race over 1100m on the alternative track.
A previous three-time winner over 1000m, the US-bred by Whywhywhy started to lose the plot around this time last year, finishing out of the placings a couple of times before trainer David Kok discovered he had fallen prey to one of racehorses’ common scourges – chip in the knee.
Two surgeries ensued followed by a long recuperation. He raced first-up on turf a month ago, without his customary blinkers, well beaten by Flak Jacket, but obviously a nice way to blow away the cobwebs.
Kok’s and the owners’ patience was finally handsomely rewarded at his second start on Sunday, this time on his pet surface, when an again-blinkered California Eagle, well supported down to $21, came with a withering run to overhaul another comeback kid in Makawao (John Powell) at the 200m mark. Well ridden by first-time partner Oscar Chavez, California Eagle (who used to be ridden by four-time Singapore champion jockey Joao Moreira) kept on well to score by one length from Laser Storm (Danny Beasley) with Smart Samurai (Corey Brown) third another length away.
The winning time was 1min 5.49secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
California Eagle’s win incidentally handed Kok his first win since September 14 when he recorded a rare training double with Fragrance Empire and Mini Boss.
“It’s good for the owners this horse has won again. They’ve shown a lot of patience as he’s had two knee chip surgeries,” said Kok.
“I’ve gradually brought him back and I was quite happy with his first run. It was a turf race over 1200m and I wanted to see him race without blinkers.
“But he showed he was more of a Polytrack horse, which is typical of those American-breds, and that’s where I will race him from now on.
“Joao knew this horse the best, but Oscar rode him very well, too. The horse in front got tired in the end as he was at his first race after a long absence and my horse just kept accelerating at the same speed.”
Raced by the California Stable, California Eagle has now brought his handy record to four wins and five placing from 13 starts for stakes earnings close to the $190,000 mark.
