Distinctiv Passion, in his first start since an off-the-board finish in Dubai in late March, popped the gate and never looked back en route to victory in the $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap May 25 at Santa Anita Park.
With Edwin Maldonado riding for trainer Jeff Bonde, Distinctiv Passion, owned by Edward Brown Jr., Alan Klein, and Phillip Lebherz, set a quick but uncontested pace through an opening quarter-mile in :22.19 seconds and a half-mile in :44.48 seconds. War Academy tracked in second, with favored San Onofre in third and Wild Dude last in the four-horse field.
Maldonado asked Distinctiv Passion in the stretch, and the 5-year-old horse by With Distinction out of the West by West mare Dance Forthe Green continued on to stave off a bid by San Onofre by a neck in 1:08 for six furlongs on a fast track. Wild Dude picked up third over War Academy.
Five Palms and Spirit Rules were early scratches.
Distinctiv Passion, who now has five wins in eight Santa Anita starts, paid $6.60 to win and $3 to place. San Onofre paid $2.80 to place. There was no show wagering.
Distinctiv Passion, bred in Florida by Harold Plumley, won the grade III Midnight Lute Stakes at Santa Anita on the dirt in December 2014. With three wins, a second, and two thirds in seven starts on the turf, his connections decided to ship him to Dubai for the IPIC Al Quoz Sprint at five furlongs on the grass.
Distinctiv Passion finished 13th of 16 runners in Dubai. However, he bounced back quickly, according to Bonde.
"I had never taken a horse, so I was really concerned," Bonde said after the Los Angeles. "But he came back well and has worked lights-out."
"This time he put his ears forward as soon as we left the gate and I didn't move on him; he relaxed beautifully today," said Maldonado, who has multiple victories aboard Distinctiv Passion. "I knew I had enough to win today. I was just waiting to push the button, waiting on San Onofre. I knew it was going to be a two-horse race.
"That trip to Dubai, he was fine. He was fine the whole time but that grass was too long and wet, and he couldn't get a grip on it. He came back good after the race and during the race he was good."
The trainer said Distinctiv Passion could resurface at the Del Mar summer meet. The horse has eight wins in 17 career starts and earnings in excess of $400,000.