15 Mzo. USA. Bay Meadows Sprint H. G3. Bay Meadows. 6f. Dirt. 100.000 $
1.- BONFANTE (F.Alvarado)
2.- JACK HES TOPS (R.Gonzalez)
3.- VICARINO (R.Baze)


Bonfante capitalized on speed duel that developed between the two favorites to score a comfortable victory in the $98,000 Bay Meadows Sprint Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Bay Meadows Race Course.

The field was reduced to four runners when Double Action was scratched and the six-furlong race was expected to be a duel between 3-to-5 favorite Tribesman and 1.30-to-1 second choice Vicarino.

Tribesman entered the Bay Meadows Sprint on a five-race winning streak, most recently annexing the Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap at Turf Paradise on February 16. Vicarino was attempting to extend his winning streak to three after a pair of allowance victories. The two favorites broke in tandem and sprinted well clear with neither giving ground as they rattled off a half-mile in :44.09.

On the turn, the battle began to take its toll on both runners, and Bonfante rallied on the outside under jockey Frank Alvarado to take command. A Frankfurt Stables and Eugene Tenbrink homebred, Bonfante powered clear for a 4 1/2-length victory in 1:09.39 on a track rated as fast.

Jack Hes Tops rallied from last at 25.80-to-1 odds to finish second, one length in front of Vicarino.

A seven-year-old California-bred gelding by Fruition, Bonfante was the only graded stakes winner in the field. The Ron McAnally trainee won the 2007 San Simeon Handicap (G3) at Santa Anita Park, and picked up his eighth stakes victory in the Bay Meadows Sprint.

With 11 wins, six seconds, and three thirds in 30 starts, Bonfante has earned $636,121.

He is out of the Mountain Cat mare Tahoma Cat.