Derby Owner for the Day Nails I'll Have Another
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I’ll Have Another, who parlayed
victory in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 7 to victory in America’s
most famous race, the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, not only brought home a
winning purse of $1.2 million, he made 32-year-old Pasadena resident Greg
Politano $16,300 as a result of a $1,000 win wager made by Santa Anita on his
behalf.
Polatano, who works in supply team
management for a medical company in nearby Irwindale, entered Santa Anita’s
free “Derby Owner for the Day” contest on April 7 and as a result, he
participated in the “owner experience”--without the bills. Accordingly,
on Santa Anita Derby Day, he went to the paddock and watched up-close as jockey
Mario Gutierrez, trainer Doug O’Neill and owners Paul and Zilla Reddam
discussed pre-race strategy.
Politano then watched I’ll Have
Another win the Santa Anita Derby from the winner’s circle and most
importantly, he won the opportunity to have a $1,000 win wager placed on him in
the Kentucky Derby.
When Gutierrez and I’ll Have Another
hit the finish line at Churchill Downs, 1 ½ lengths in front of favored
Bodemeister, Politano knew he’d hit a jackpot, as the horse paid $32.60 on a
$2.00 win ticket.
“I watched the race from New Jersey
with my family,” said Politano, 32. “My parents were visiting out here in
April and at the last minute, we decided to go to Santa Anita and I entered in
the Derby contest. My parents had never been to Santa Anita and we had a
great day.
“I was planning on watching the
Kentucky Derby from home, but at the last minute, my work took me to Jersey, so
I was able to watch the race with my family there. My mom was very
optimistic, but I never win anything and I told her, ‘He’s 15 to 1. He’s
not going to win.’
“When he (I’ll Have Another) pulled
into second, I was still pessimistic. I was convinced there wasn’t enough
track left to catch Bodemeister. I was still preparing myself for
heartbreak, but when he caught him, it was just joy, disbelief and I turned to
my family and screamed ‘He won!!’
“I ran to my stepfather, who also
bet on him and we hugged and just started jumping up and down like two little
kids and then I lifted my mom up off the ground and we were all just on cloud
nine for the rest of the night.”
Santa Anita’s “Derby Owner for the
Day” was the brainchild of Santa Anita C.E.O. Mark Verge, who coincidentally,
is a lifelong friend of winning trainer O’Neill.
“This is wonderful, absolutely
wonderful,” said Verge. “We’re so happy for Greg and we hope he follows
I’ll Have Another in his next race, the Preakness Stakes, on May 19. Our
‘Derby Owner’ contest couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. Doug’s
a great friend, but more importantly, it’s great to have a Southern
California-based horse win the Derby and be in the national spotlight.
“It’s great for Santa Anita and it’s
great for our entire circuit here. We’ve got great weather, great purses
and great facilities. We need new fans and new horses and it looks like
we’re on our way. Hats-off to Greg and we hope to see him more often here
at The Great Race Place.”
Palitano said he intends to “put my
money in the bank and I’ll try not to blow it. My mom and dad were so
instrumental in me entering in the contest and winning it so I’m going to take
them on a vacation to Hawaii when the time is right.”
I’ll Have Another became the 16th
horse to exit the Santa Anita Derby and win Churchill Downs’ Run for the
Roses. He became the first Santa Anita Derby winner since Sunday Silence
in 1989 to win the Kentucky Derby.
Live racing will return to Santa
Anita in late September, as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will
highlight the Autumn Meet on Nov. 2 and 3.
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