- EXPRESS TRAIN HAS BULLET BREEZE FOR BIG ‘CAP
- JAPANESE RIDER WINS FIRST SANTA ANITA STAKES
- WONG ‘WISHING WELL’ FOR DYNASTY OF HER OWN
SHIRREFFS GOING ‘EXPRESS’ FOR FIRST BIG ‘CAP WIN
Express Train always seems to run his race.
A five-year-old full horse sired by Union Rags and bred by
Dixiana Farms, LLC, the bay owned by Lee and Susan Searing’s C R K Stable LLC has a 6-4-3 record from 16 starts, with legitimate excuses the three times he’s run under par.
He scored an authoritative 3 ¼-length triumph last out in the Grade II San Pasqual Stakes on Feb. 5, and overcame early crowding in the Grade II San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26 but still got up to win by a nose.
Next up if all goes well is the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap at a mile and a quarter on March 5.
“He’s coming up to the race very well,” said trainer
John Shirreffs, who is seeking his first Big ‘Cap win. “He worked very well this morning (five furlongs in a bullet 59.20 under Victor Espinoza). Things look good.”
It was the fastest of 61 drills at the distance by more than two seconds, as the average time was 1:01.75
“I think he’s been very consistent,” Shirreffs said. “He ran well last time and I don’t see any reason he wouldn’t do it again.”
Espinoza, still riding in Hall of Fame fashion as he nears his 50th birthday on May 23, retains the Big ‘Cap mount.
Santa Anita’s marquee race for older horses, first run in 1934 when won by Azucar under legendary George (The Iceman) Woolf, the Santa Anita Handicap offers $650,000 in purse money.
Should Express Train score, the winner’s share of $390,000 would make him a millionaire with a bankroll of $1,205,800.
The Big ‘Cap is but one of three Grade I events to be decided March 5, the others being the Beholder Mile for fillies and mares four and up, and the Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf for four-year-olds and up.
But wait; there’s more.
Generously supporting the prestigious program are three Grade II races, the San Felipe Stakes for three-year-old Triple Crown prospects at 1 1/16 miles; the San Carlos Stakes presented by Fan Duel for sprinters four and older at seven furlongs; and the Buena Vista Stakes for fillies and mares four and older at a mile on grass.
BARRAZA GIVES FUKOMOTO FIRST SANTA STAKES WIN
Vladimir Cerin has described Barraza as a playful puppy around the barn, but the four-year-old colt is all business once the gates open for a race.
He proved that once again Sunday, roaring to his fourth straight victory, this time giving his new rider, Daisuke Fukomoto, his first stakes score at historic Santa Anita Park.
The 24-year-old Japanese jockey was an 11th hour replacement on Barraza for Hall of Fame veteran John Velazquez, who along with his family was mourning the passing of his mother-in-law after a long illness.
“I like him,” Cerin explained when asked how he gave Daisuke (pronounced Dice-kay) the mount. “He rode four other horses for me with a win, a second and a third–not bad–he’s a good rider.”
Fukomoto, whose agent is Patty Sterling, connected with Cerin thanks to Woodbine-based trainer Zeljko Krcmar, a long-time friend of Vlado’s who highly recommended the rider.
The 79-year-old Krcmar is a story in himself, having come to Ontario from his native Yugoslavia in 1968 with $2 in his pocket.
As for Barraza, Cerin had no immediate race in mind for the four-year-old Into Mischief colt owned by his principal clients, Holly and David Wilson.
“We’ll let him cool out,” Cerin said, “give him some horse biscuits and go from there,”
SPEEDY DYNASTY OF HER OWN EYES 12TH WIN
Dynasty of Her Own, a veritable win machine having captured 11 of 19 career starts, seeks her first victory in a turf sprint in this Saturday’s $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes for fillies and mares four and older at 6 ½ furlongs on the grass.
It’s been almost all or nothing for the five-year-old Shanghai Bobby mare trained by Jonathan Wong for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC, with three thirds to go with her 11 victories.
“She loves the synthetic track (Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields, where she has posted 10 of her triumphs),” said Wong, who runs successful divisions in both Southern and Northern California, “but she’s run OK on the turf (one third in three starts).
“However, there’s not much for her up north, so we’re going to take a chance in the Wishing Well.”
Ricardo Gonzalez, who has ridden Dynasty of Her Own five times previously, winning three, will be back aboard and likely be in front, as she has led at some point in all but four of her races.
FINISH LINES: There were 144 recorded workouts at Santa Anita Monday including two bullets by Bob Baffert stakes winners Eight Rings (four furlongs in 46.60) and Cezanne (five furlongs in 59.20). Richard Mandella sent Beholder Mile contender Soothsay seven furlongs in 1:25.80 . . . Big Splash and Really Big News, both sons of promising stallion Mr. Big, won Sunday’s second and fourth races, respectively, for trainer Tim Yakteen. Mr. Big, a son of Dynaformer who entered stud in 2010, stands at Legacy Ranch in Clements, California. His stud fee last year was $4,500 and his 2022 fee has yet to be announced, but it doesn’t figure to diminish . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Tuesday through Thursday. Live racing resumes 12:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25.
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