Bodog Beat

Azul Leon remains unbeaten and one of the premier 2-year-olds in California. (AP Images)

Azul Leon wins Best Pal on DQ

Going into the $150,000 Gr. 2 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday, Aug. 10, at Del Mar, Azul Leon was undefeated in his last two starts. But his unbeaten streak appeared to be over when Kelly Leak, making his first graded stakes start, crossed the wire a nose ahead of him.

Azul Leon, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, trailed the eight-horse field for the first half-mile of the race. Late in the stretch, he made a bid for the lead, first breaking wide and then cutting inside to avoid Kelly Leak, who was drifting to the outside. But Kelly Leak, under Victor Espinoza, corrected course sharply and crowded not only Azul Leon, but Charlie's Moment and Coronet of a Baron, on his way to what was initially thought to be a win.

Immediately after the race, Bejarano was fuming. "[Espinoza] cost me the race," Bejarano said. "He was watching me and first I tried to go out, then I had to go in. My horse deserved to win."

Espinoza contended that he'd done nothing wrong, claiming, "It’s not my fault if the other jockey can’t ride his horse. He just happened to be in the wrong place. I was riding my horse and riding my race."

After watching a video replay, stewards agreed with Bejarano and ruled that Kelly Leak had interfered with the other horses during the stretch run. As a result, he was bumped down to fourth place with a corresponding drop in purse money from $90,000 to $9,000. Coronet of a Baron was promoted from third to second, and Charlie's Moment was moved up to third from fourth. Azul Leon was declared the winner.

"We love to win," said Doug O'Neill, Azul Leon's trainer, "but I hate to win under these circumstances."

Still, with Azul Leon's unbeaten record still intact, he remains one of the premier 2-year-olds in California.

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