Puxa Saco, Smith Cruise Home In Moccasin

NGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 16, 2002) — Puxa Saco, benefiting from a ground-saving trip along the rail under jockey Mike Smith, coasted to a two-length victory over Watching You in Saturday’s $100,000 Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood Park.

The daughter of Dehere moved into contention on the inside of pacesetter Watching You on the far turn, led by a head at the top of the stretch and drew off in mid-stretch to win as she pleased, covering the seven furlongs in 1:21 4/5 on a fast track.

Puxa Saco was the lone favorite to win on the card, setting up a Pick Six carryover of $114,086 entering Sunday.

Watching You, second under Kent Desormeaux while making only her second start, finished 5 1/2 lengths clear of Atlantic Ocean and jockey Victor Espinoza in the field of five 2-year-old fillies.

“She is getting more professional with each race,” Smith said. “The race before, she waited a lot and was a little green through the lane. Today, when I asked her to run, she really finished up good. I had a lot of horse and I was just sitting to see what Kent would do. I had an opportunity to get up inside of there. When I asked her, she was up there so quick that Kent couldn’t do anything about it. It certainly helps when you have a lot of horse. I kinda think this filly might have a very nice future.”

Puxa Saco, a winner of four of five starts, has won a pair of Southern California stakes races for trainer Jenine Sahadi since being relocated here from Florida. She captured the Anoakia last month at Santa Anita, her lone loss coming in a race at a-mile-and-70 yards in September at Calder.

She paid $3.60, $2.40 and $2.10, while picking up the winner’s share of $60,000 to boost her earnings to $150,890. Watching You returned $2.80 and $2.10, while Atlantic Ocean paid $2.10 to show.

The Moccasin is a prep for the $250,000 Hollywood Starlet here in Dec. 14, but Sahadi was making no plans Saturday.

“I think she did it real nicely, real easily,” she said. “I’m just really proud of her. I don’t know (about the Starlet). I’m going to watch the two-turn race when she ran third to Ivanavinalot. I don’t know. We’ll have to talk about it.”

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