Out of Control wins Oak Tree Mile

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Trainer Bobby Frankel's Out of Control posted a nose victory over Zann to take Sunday's $250,000 Oak Tree Mile on the turf at Santa Anita Park. The win by the four-year-old puts him into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile through the "Win and You're In" program.

Lava Man, the leading money earner among active racehorses, went off as the 6-5 favorite in the six horse field. However, the veteran runner would fail to demonstrate his usual ability.

The field broke clean from the gate with Get Funky taking a short lead at the start. Surf Cat, with rider Alex Solis, led the field around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch.

Surf Cat and Get Funky dueled for the lead followed by Lava Man, Out of Control, Zann and Courtnall. Lava Man began to fade up the backstretch and would never challenge during the race. Around the final turn Out of Control advanced three wide to join Surf Cat and Get Funky on the lead.

At the top of stretch Out of Control and jockey Michael Baze had a short lead, but were quickly joined by Zann. The pair fought to the wire where Out of Control stuck his nose out for the win.

Zann was followed under the wire by Courtnall, Get Funky, Surf Cat and Lava Man. This was Lava Man's second straight defeat following his loss in the Pacific Classic.

The time for the one-mile turf race was 1:34.16

Out of Control, owned by TNT Stud, registered his fourth win of the year and his fifth in 11 career starts. The $150,000 winner's check brings his lifetime earnings to $487,371.

Earlier this year he won the American Handicap at Hollywood Park and was second to After Market in the Eddie Read Handicap. He was coming off a sixth place finish in the Del Mar Mile behind Crossing The Line.

Out Of Control, bred in Brazil, returned $9.80, $5.00 and $4.20. Zann paid $7.20 and $5.40, and Courtnall paid $8.00 to show.

The Oak Tree Mile was the second weekend race which put the winner into the Breeders' Cup Mile. On Saturday, five-year-old Purim overtook Cosmonaut in deep stretch to win the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile by a neck at Keeneland.