Go and Hide wins Sgt. Pepper Feature Hcp

COURTESY OF LOS ALAMITOS.COM



56-1 LONGSHOT WINS SGT PEPPER FEATURE


Sent off at 56-1 odds, Ed Allred's Go And Hide posted the biggest upset of the stakes season at Los Alamitos after winning Saturday's Grade 3, $35,000 Sgt Pepper Feature.


Go And Hide, who ran fourth in the July 28 Jens List Memorial Stakes prior to this race, broke on top from post two and then held off the aforementioned challengers to win the 350-yard Sgt Pepper Feature by a head over multiple stakes winner Czech N Out Ashley. Ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr. for trainer Scott Willoughby, Go And Hide returned $114.40 for the win, while covering the distance in :17.35. He also paid $44.00 to place and $8.20 show. Spearheaded by Go And Hide's upset win, the Superfecta of winner Go And Hide, Czech N Out Ashley, champion 2-year-old gelding Jess You And I, and 11-1 fourth place finisher Keep The Sign paid $16,249.

"We thought he had a chance in this race because he was training great," Willoughby said. "He was sitting on tilt waiting to run. We were looking for an allowance race but then the Sgt Pepper Feature came along. The race turned out to be a lot tougher than we expected with the likes of Jess You And I in the field. (Go And Hide) came up a little short when he ran in the 400-yard Jens List, so we figured that he would like this 350-yard race.

"He needed a fast break in order to win this race," Willoughby added. "If he didn't break he was going to get beat. He got away great but I still wasn't sure if he could hold off (Czech N Out Ashley and Jess You And I)."

With Ramirez aboard, Go And Hide did enough to complete the best effort of his career. Now a winner of three of nine starts, the Separatist gelding earned $19,250 for the win. He's now made $41,289. Go And Hide, a full brother to Los Alamitos winners Dash Apart and Fleetly, is eligible to the Southern California Derby trials at the end of the meeting.

Czech N Out Ashley, who was suffering his first loss in five starts, earned $7,875 for owner Salvador Salazar. Hector Jaime Hernandez saddled the Corona Czech gelding, who was ridden by Alex Bautista.

Jess You And I, the winner of last year's Golden State Million Futurity earned $3,475 for running third as the 3-5 favorite. Keep The Sign, Cocktail Special, A Stoli Mate, This Snow Is Amazing, Fat Royality and First Down Morn completed the field.