Imponente Purse Rides into Sunset

Imponente Purse, the 5-2 second choice, rallied to take the $100,000 Sunset Handicap.

A Brazilian bred gelding, Imponente Purse provided jockey Chantal Sutherland with her fourth stakes success of the meet in the Sunset.

Owned by Coudelaria Jessica and trained by A.C. Avila – the same connections that won the Royal Heroine Mile July 4 with the mare Celtic Princess – Imponente Purse came wide into the stretch, running past Falcon Rock late to earn his fourth win.

A son of Public Purse and the Sunny’s Halo mare White Tea, Imponente Purse ended a seven race losing streak in the turf marathon. Winning for the first time since taking an optional claimer on the Hollywood Park grass last Nov. 19, Imponente Purse covered the 1 ½ miles in 2:26.65 while winning by 1 3/4 lengths.

Now 4-for-19 lifetime, the 5-year-old increased his bankroll to $188,627. He returned $7.60, $4 and $2.60.

The 5-1 third choice in a field reduced to seven after the scratch of morning line favorite and 124-pound highweight Acclamation and Atticus Jack, Falcon Rock paid $5 and $2.80. He finished 1 ¾ lengths in front of 3-2 favorite Celtic New Year. The show payoff on Celtic New Year was $2.20.

Runner-up in the Grade I Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap June 11, Celtic New Year faded after gaining a clear lead with about an eighth of a mile to run. He wound up three-quarters of a length in front of First Settler, then came Victorian Prince, pacesetter Restless Soul and Ashtar.

“He deserves some luck,’’ said Avila of the winner. “He had bad luck in the race at Santa Anita (a head loss in the San Juan Capistrano April 17), so we had to close the meeting with some good luck.

“He’s always like that, one pace, one pace, one pace. He came back fresh before his last race. I want to freshen him more.’’