Paradise Lake Takes Robert J. Frankel by a Head Bob

A patient, stalking ride by Juan Hernandez delivered a first graded stakes win for C R K Stable's Paradise Lake Jan. 8 in the $101,500 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. Paradise Lake, a 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, came into the Frankel off a close third in the Red Carpet Stakes (G3T), going 1 3/8 miles on the Del Mar grass in her first start in graded stakes company. The Red Carpet and four other in-the-money finishes in two-turn races on the turf prepared her well for the Frankel. Starry Night, a 4-year-old daughter of Justify, took the lead as the eight-horse field passed the grandstand for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile contest. Under Ricardo Gonzalez, she set leisurely fractions of :25.46, :50.93, and 1:15.72 with Paradise Lake following close behind. Paradise Lake put the pressure on at the top of the stretch but Starry Night remained stubbornly her equal. Meanwhile in the late running, Watchtower, a 5-year-old daughter of Demarchelier (GB), gave added pressure to the front-runners after closing from the middle of the track and challenging to the outside of Paradise Lake. A head bob gave Paradise Lake the win over Starry Night with Watchtower third by a mere neck. The final time was 1:50.72. "Around the stretch, when I smooched her the second time she took off. She was running," Hernandez said. "I felt the inside horse (Starry Night) was trying to come back and catch me, because of the slow pace. That horse kind of kept going. My filly, she tries and she loves Santa Anita. I think she loves a mile and an eighth. She showed up today." Trainer Peter Eurton, who once galloped horses for the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, said Paradise Lake is a special horse racing for special owners. "Most important is winning for Mr. Searing and Mrs. Searing, they are such amazing individuals to work for," he said. "They take the wins with the losses as well as anybody, if not better." Lee and Susan Searing, owners of C R K Stable, bought Paradise Lake for $200,000 during the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale out of Mill Ridge Sales' consignment. She is out of the winning Street Cry daughter Terrific Treasure, who is a half sister to grade 1-placed, group 3 winner Long Island Sound. Paradise Lake's second dam, Treasure Trail, is a half sister to Zenyatta, the 2010 Horse of the Year and champion older mare for 2008-10. Eddie Logan Stakes Also on the Jan. 8 card at Santa Anita was the listed $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes, a 1-mile race on the grass for 3-year-olds. Amerman Racing's homebred Stark Contrast and jockey Kazushi Kimura also pressed pacesetter Brigante through moderate fractions of :24.42, :49.03, and 1:12.28 before kicking clear of his rival to win going away. The final time was 1:35.38. The son of Caravaggio came into the Eddie Logan off a second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) by three-quarters of a length to Gstaad (GB). Prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the colt won the Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T), run under the same conditions as the Eddie Logan. "He's a neat little horse to be around," said trainer Michael McCarthy. "He kind of showed his hand early in Del Mar, he put in a couple of good works in the morning. He ran just well enough on the dirt and from the gate to go ahead and warrant a start on the dirt. Things didn't work out." Stark Contrast finished fourth in his debut and only start on dirt, and followed with a 1-length win on the Del Mar grass. The colt has a 3-1-0 record from five starts and career earnings of $342,800. John and Jerry Amerman bred Stark Contrast out of their homebred grade 2-placed winner Catch the Eye (Quality Road), who ran third in the 2020 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T). Stark Contrast is his dam's first foal and first stakes winner. She also has produced a 2-year-old filly by Oscar Performance named Ogle and a yearling filly also by Oscar Performance, who is a multiple grade 1 winner also bred and raced by the Amermans. Oscar Performance is standing at Mill Ridge Farm for $60,000. "In his pedigree, Caravaggio gives him a little bit of speed and Quality Road gives him the stamina," said McCarthy, who earned his 500th career victory in the Eddie Logan. The trainer said a springtime goal for Stark Contrast is to run on Kentucky Derby (G1) day at Churchill Downs in the American Turf Stakes (G1T) for 3-year-olds.