Benoit Photo via AP
Mike Smith, aboard The Pizza Man, reacts after winning the Grade II $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup horse race Thursday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.
Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015 | 4:01 p.m.
The Pizza Man delivered a two-length victory in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup on Thursday at Del Mar.
Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, The Pizza Man ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:31.75 and paid $4.20, $2.80 and $2.60 as the even-money favorite.
"The Pizza Man for Thanksgiving. I like it," Smith said.
Big John B returned $3.80 and $3.80, while 50-1 shot Power Foot was another half-length back in third and paid $13.20 to show.
The victory, worth $150,000, increased The Pizza Man's career earnings to $1,898,537 with 16 wins in 26 starts. He won the Arlington Million last summer for trainer Roger Brueggemann. A year ago, The Pizza Man finished third in the Grade 2 race.
The Pizza Man was scheduled to go to Japan after finishing fifth in the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf last month at Keeneland, but he got a lung infection.
"Same race as last year, different result," owner Richard Papiese said. "Mike let him run his race and when he gets to run his race he's tough to beat. I was absolutely not worried about where he was during the race. Mike said he was going to be eight to 10 off of it and I said, 'You're going to love the afterburners when they kick in.'"
Power Ped finished fourth in the field of 14.
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