Race of the Week: San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita
by Patricia Woo | Jan 4 2010
Santa Anita Park's winter-spring meet continues with another show-stopping race this Saturday, Jan. 9, the $150,000 Gr. 2 San Pasqual Handicap. The 73rd running of this 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up will feature grade 3 winner Chocolate Candy, surprise winner of the Pacific Classic Richard's Kid and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile champion Furthest Land.
Chocolate Candy burst onto the 2009 racing scene as a top Kentucky Derby contender with two back-to-back wins, including the $200,000 Gr. 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Feb 14. But his fortunes changed during the Triple Crown, coming in fifth and ninth in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes respectively. This 4-year-old son of Candy Ride finished eighth in his last outing, the $1M Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 7, well behind fellow San Pasqual Handicap rival Furthest Land; he finished 2009 with a 8-2-2-0 record and $417,000 in earnings. After a two-month rest, the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Chocolate Candy should do well at the race's 1 1/16-mile distance.
A son of Lemon Drop Kid, Richard's Kid is a 5-year-old Maryland-bred whose biggest race of 2009 was the $1M Gr. 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 6 versus a slew of highly acclaimed older horses. Richard's Kid, trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Arnold Zetcher, showed his tremendous rallying ability in that race, coming from the back of the pack at the quarter pole to chase down the leader in the final stride. But he came up against Zenyatta in his final race of the year – the $5M Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 7 – and despite a four-wide bid, finished sixth. Also cutting back in distance for the San Pasqual Handicap, Richard's Kid will be coming into his 2010 campaign heavily raced; he was 11-3-1-2 in 2009 and earned $732,840.
Looking to build on his 2009 record of 9-6-0-0 and earnings of $812,963 is Furthest Land, who captured the $1M Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile despite being given only an outside chance. A relative newcomer to the graded stakes level of racing, Furthest Land had won his previous race as well, the $200,000 Gr. 2 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park on Sept. 26. Trained by Michael Maker, this 5-year-old Smart Strike gelding will return to the site of his Breeders' Cup win for the San Pasqual Handicap; he will have the services of jockey Garrett Gomez.
Also nominated for Saturday's race include the John Shirreffs-trained Neko Bay, who finished third in the $100,000 Gr. 3 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 12; 2009 Gr. 2 San Fernando Stakes winner Nownownow; and recent allowance optional claiming winner Turf and Sky.
You won't want to miss the San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita Park.
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