Double Touch rolls home under Stevens in Oceanside prep

Next to last at the rail in a field of 10 three year olds at the quarter pole, longshot Double Touch wheeled six-wide turning for home under veteran Hall of Famer Gary Stevens en route to a measured half length win in Friday’s $56,000 allowance feature. Trained by Dan Blacker, Double Touch negotiated one mile on turf in 1:35.71.

When asked if this type of win was still as much fun as ever at age 54, Stevens responded, “We did it Eddie D. style today. It’s still the greatest feeling there is. I worked this horse for Dan the other day, five eighths in 1:02 (on June 23) and he asked me what I thought. I said ‘I felt like I had a loaded Oozy.’ And, he sure ran like it today.”

Ninth, beaten 11 lengths in his second Southern California start, the one mile turf Singletary Stakes here on May 6, English-bred Double Touch was off at 10-1 and paid $23.60, $9.20 and $4.20.

“Pace makes the race,” said Blacker of his improving gelding. “The race set up nicely for us and Gary was very patient. We’ll think about the Oceanside (Stakes, for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf July 19 at Del Mar).”

Owned by Radley Equine, Inc., Roadrunner Racing, Gold, MacDonald and Smole, Double Touch notched his second win from eight career starts. With the winner’s share of $33,600, he nearly tripled his earnings to $54,347.

Bird Is the Word, under apprentice Evin Roman, proved second best as the 8-5 favorite and paid $3.40 and $2.60.

Elwood J, who hit the front after the first half mile, finished a half length behind Bird Is the Word and paid $3.00 to show with Drayden Van Dyke up.

Fractions on the race were 23.77, 47.77, 1:11.61 and 1:23.82.

There were no winning tickets Friday in Santa Anita’s popular two dollar Pick Six, resulting in a carryover into Saturday of $69,200. With 54 horses entered and eligible to run in tomorrow’s Pick Six sequence, field size currently stands at nine horses per race.

With a 10-race program on tap Saturday, the Pick Six will cover races five through 10. Track officials project Saturday’s total Pick Six pool should approach $500,000. Approximate post time for Saturday’s fifth race is 3:03 p.m. PT.

Additionally, there is a Single Ticket Pick Six Jackpot carryover into Saturday of $299,900.