Cowboy Cal Headlines $1M Santa Anita Handicap
by Patricia Woo | Mar 2 2009
One of the premier races of the late winter Thoroughbred racing season, this year’s Gr. 1 Santa Anita Handicap will feature a large field of contenders vying for the winner’s share of the $1M purse. At least 16 horses will line up for the 1 ¼-mile Big Cap on Saturday, Mar. 7 on the Pro-Ride surface of
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., including Strub Stakes hero Cowboy Cal, synthetic specialist Colonel John, and sentimental choice Magnum.
This year’s Strub Stakes winner, Cowboy Cal, will be looking to chalk up his third consecutive win at Santa Anita Park with a win in the Santa Anita Handicap. The 4-year-old colt, who is trained by Todd Pletcher, showed off his ability to make up ground when he caught the pacesetter at the eighth pole and pulled away for the victory in the $250,000 Feb. 7 race. Cowboy Cal’s recent success is coming after a five-month layoff following a dismal ninth-place showing at the 2008
Kentucky Derby, and owners Robert and Janice McNair will be hoping their patience will continue to pay off – Cowboy Cal’s career earnings currently stand at $747,708.
Always a threat on Pro-Ride, Colonel John will take to the track for the first time in his 2009 campaign. The 4-year-old colt is coming off a loss on Dec. 26 in the Gr. 1 Malibu Stakes and a layoff as a result of a strained hindquarter suffered in that race. But trainer Eoin Harty is confident in his charge’s preparations, which included a 7-furlong workout completed in 1:25.87 at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 12. “He will not be short,” Harty commented, who will be looking for Colonel John to return to the form which saw him win the $1M Gr. 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse in August 2008 as well as back-to-back races at Santa Anita Park as a 3-year-old, the Santa Anita Derby and the Sham Stakes.
Eight-year-old Magnum is substantially older than any other horse in the Big Cap field, but since recovering from a string of minor injuries and gelding surgery, the veteran racehorse hasn’t looked – or performed – better. On Feb. 8, Magnum won his first race in nine outings in the San Antonio Handicap and he will not only be looking to make it two in a row for trainer Darrell Vienna on Mar. 7: He will be looking to avenge a 2006 loss in the Santa Anita Handicap in which he was a 17-1 long shot, rallied well but could not catch eventual winner Lava Man. Look for him to stalk the pace before making a bid for the lead.
Also among the Big Cap’s probable starters include Hollywood Derby champion Court Vision, Clark Handicap upsetter Einstein and turf specialists Champs Elysees and Red Rocks.
Last year, Heatseeker trailed the pack going into the final turn but unleashed a tremendous effort that not only powered him past his 13 other rivals but allowed him to hold off a determined rally from eventual runner-up Go Between.
Who will be this year’s Santa Anita Handicap champion?
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