WITH $589,305 IN ‘NEW MONEY,’ FRIDAY’S TOTAL PICK SIX POOL REACHED $659,747; FIVE WINNING TICKETS RETURNED $80,598 EACH, CONSO TICKETS PAID $1,000 EACH

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 31, 2014)–Breaking from the outside post in a field of 10, Zia Zia Zia was away alertly under Tyler Baze and never looked back in Friday’s $60,000 Big Dipper Purse, as she led gate to wire to win by one length, getting 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in 1:12.31.

Trained by Mike Puype, Zia Zia Zia was off at 19-1 and paid $41.40, $17.00 and $8.80.

“The speed was her and (eventual fifth-place finisher) Kinz Funky Monkey,” said Puype. “We caught the lead easy though, so ‘Kinz’ was chasing us. The difference was that the break and the post really helped today…She ran a great race today, they came at her and she responded to the challenge.”

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Dehere, Zia Zia Zia had one previous try down the hill, a fifth-place run in the Unzip Me Stakes on Sept. 28. In her most recent start, she showed speed and was fourth, beaten 4 ½ lengths going six furlongs on the main track by Scherzinger, who came back to win last Saturday’s Grade II Santa Monica Stakes.

The Big Dipper, a second condition allowance for older fillies and mares, provided her owner, Tommy Hutton’s Dream Stable, LLC, with a $36,000 payday, increasing Zia Zia Zia’s earnings to $134,884. The Big Dipper was her third win from nine starts.

With Gary Stevens aboard, Irish-bred Premier Steps was attentive to fractions of 21.86, 43.59 and finished a nose in front of Remise, who was ridden by Corey Nakatani.

Off at 5-1, Premier Steps paid $7.60 and $5.20.

Australian-bred Remise, off at 4-1, rallied from off the pace and loomed a bold threat late, but had to settle for third money, 1 ½ lengths in front of Could Be Trouble, the second choice at 7-2 with Victor Espinoza.

Remise paid $4.40 to show.

Ultrasonic, the 5-2 favorite, sat close early with Martin Garcia and flattened out to finish sixth.

With a carryover of $70,442 from Thursday stoking the pari-mutuel fires, $589,305 in “new money” was wagered, creating a total Pick Six pool of $659,747. There were five winning tickets worth $80,598 each. Consolation tickets with five winners paid $1,000 each.

The Grade I, $300,000 Las Virgenes Stakes and the Grade II, $200,000 Arcadia Stakes headline a nine-race program Saturday at Santa Anita. First post time is 12:30 p.m. and admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.