California Tiger’s first local foray on the turf saw him first past the post but disqualified to seventh for lugging in and impeding a rival.

His second came with no such difficulties.

Under jockey Martin Chuan the five-year-old Smiling Tiger gelding was never far away from the early pace, went to the attack three-wide on the far turn, and held off a late bid from Card Trick to win by three parts of a length in 1:43.45 for 1 1/16 miles over firm turf.

“I knew that Smiling Tigers, they love the turf out in California,” said winning trainer Jamie Ness. “Those are tough races out there. I thought this was a competitive race, and he ran well.”

Overlooked at the windows, California Tiger paid $19.00 to win. The one-dollar exacta returned $35.70.

“Eight to one?” Ness exclaimed. “I never get one at 8-1. They usually overbet them.”

Ness and co-owner Philip Rubin paid $40,000 to acquire Smiling Tiger via the claimbox this past May with the idea that he would fit well in the Mid-Atlantic. He had since made four winless starts for the new connections, including the race in which he was disqualified. But he had run competitive races on both turf and dirt.

Today Ness had a good feeling from the get-go.

“I told Corey, my assistant, he’s always been a nervous horse,” the trainer said. “Today he was very chilled and relaxed, and then he was focused. And I knew he would run a pretty good race.”

Chuan had his mount outside and out of trouble while the speedy Kalahari Not Sorry made the early running, ticking off fractions of 48.44 seconds for the half-mile and 1:12.51 for three quarters.

California Tiger made the lead in upper stretch and then had enough to hold off the late bid of Card Trick. Dylan’s Ruby finished third.

Ness, who was celebrated today at Delaware for winning his 11^th consecutive training title at the track, said that he wasn’t sure exactly what might be next for California Tiger. But it seems likely it might be on the grass, perhaps at Laurel Park.

The trainer was happy to win the feature race on the same day his training title was recognized. But he also had other things in mind: saddling nine-year-old, 20-time winner Yodel E. A. Who in the eighth, for one thing, and doing the same for Forward Move in the nightcap.

The former won, giving Ness and Chuan two wins on the day. The latter did not.

“I’m happy to win the feature any day,” Ness said. “And Yodel E. A. Who, who I’ve had all his life: one of my favorite horses. Twenty wins, 80-some starts, and still runs at a good level. I’m excited for him to run.”