Turkoman Wins Affirmed Handicap

Favored Turkoman, ridden by Chris McCarron, closed with a rush in the final sixteenth and won the $84,300 Affirmed Handicap for 3-year-olds by 1 lengths Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Banner Bob, ridden by Gary Baze, finished second after opening up a lead in midstretch. Floating Reserve, ridden by Pat Valenzuela, was third, another 5 1/2 lengths back.

A 3-year-old son of Alydar trained by Gary Jones, Turkoman defeated nine rivals and earned a $50,550 winner’s purse. Turkoman’s time was 1:34 1/5.

Sen off as a 3-2 first choice by the crowd of 30,148, Turkoman paid $5, $3.20 and $3.20. Banner Bob, the third choice, returned $4.60 and $4.40, and Floating Reserve, 19-1, paid $9 to show.

Turkoman fell back early but began to move up on the far turn and swung to the middle of the track entering the stretch for the drive. After lugging in, Turkoman ran down Banner Bob, who had opened a three-length advantage, and pulled away.