SA Handicap (Grade 1)- $750.000 Purse
SA- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the Dirt
March 11, 2017
This time of year, much of the horse racing conversation is centered around the TC chase, bgut there is plenty more happening this weekend, especially here in the SA Handicap. Wow, what a race we have in store! Even though the purse was cut $250.000 this year to its current level, you would not know it from the talent we have here. BC Classic Champion Atomic Twister returns to this very track that he won the big race in four months ago, and he will get to renew acquaintances with the runner up that day, Copper Beast. The pair that finished in third place dead heat, Black Mojo and Spring Lover are also back. They all raced against one another in the Pegasus World Cup at GP in January, and find themselves in the starting gate together again. But it’s not just a Pegasus/Classic rematch! The BC Turf runner, Cju is here. The great A One is here. Plus, there are a lot of horses who plenty good enough who might not have just been mentioned but would be the favorites in most races they will run in. There are no soft spots in this field. All fourteen have a shot!
#1- First Rebellion (Mb Stables, ridden by V Espinoza)- This gelding is not as well known as the others in this field, but it is worth noting that he is out of the same dam that produced Unsuited. First Rebellion has not had that type of career yet, but he’s been doing pretty well for himself. He’s won eight of eleven overall, most coming on the NY-bred circuit. Last month, while running with that statebred condition, he won the $100.000 Haynesfield. He’s never run in a graded event, and this is a tough task, but given he knows how to win with a high percentage, and being a low weight and on the rail, don’t rule him out. This will also be the longest he has run to date, but I don’t think he is unsuited for it.
#2- Black Mojo (Mb Stables, ridden by J Talamo)- After being part of the classic 1-2 Broken Spoke finish in the BEL, Black Mojo ended up in the hands of Heavens Own for the rest of the year, and was one of two that would finish third in the BC Classic. Mb Stables was so impressed with the one that ran in a dead heat with his Spring Lover, that he purchased him for $660.000. His last race was the Pegasus World Cup, and he would be second that day, and it gets me wondering if this is one of the more underrated horses in our game right now. He’s going to need a win in a race like this, as the Peter Pan only gets remembered for so long. I’m intrigued by his chances here quite a bit, this may be the day.
#3- Outward Bound (Eastern Equine, ridden by C S Nakatani)- This will be the third time that Outward Bound races in the SA Handicap. He didn’t miss by much in 2015, being third in a tight photo, but was not as effective last year. In general, last year was a little disappointing for him, and in the lead up to his last race, I had mentioned that layoff and the time off he had. The last race was the San Antonio Stakes on this very race track, and he went wire to wire in the victory against a field that included the likes of 2016 SA Handicap winner, Greek Poet. If that race signaled that he is back and for a resurgent 2017, then there is plenty to be excited about. I am really interested to see how he follows up that race in this one.
#4- Copper Beast (John Henry, ridden by J R Velazquez)- The winner of the 2016 Travers figures to be one of the top betting choices on race day. Four months ago, right here, he nearly became a BC Classic champion, but had to settle for second behind Atomic Twister. In the rematch at GP in the Pegasus, he was fourth. Copper Beast thrives on distance, and if he had a little more distance in the Pegasus, then chances are that becomes a better finish. He gets that distance here as that tenth furlong will mean more to him that it does to most of his competition. It will make him all the more dangerous in this one, and we will need to be ready to see him go into beast mode in the stretch here.
#5- Thats The Truth (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J R Leparoux)- More then likely, Thats The Truth will be one of the bigger longshots on race day, but don’t let that lull you in to thinking he should not be considered. He’s won twice in his twelve career starts, but that non-maiden victory was two races ago in the Grade 3 Hals Hope. When I look closely at this horse, I see one that seems to struggle with inconsistency. After the Hals Hope, he was completely flat in the GP Handicap. So what this tells us, is that the potential is there for him to surprise. However, that said, I do think that the truth for him will be that he is near the back of the field.
#6- Gentile Il Buono (Sc Lanciano, ridden by T C Baze)- Around the summer of last year, this El Gran Broomstick colt took a giant step forward in his career, running off a three race winning streak that began at BTP and ended in the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes, topping the likes of Pinnacle West and Roxys Triple Crown. He has only raced once in 2016, and that was here in February against Outward Bound in the Grade 2 San Antonio. While that one was wiring the field, Gentile Il Buono was working his way through traffic and finished second. Perhaps he could of caught him if he had another furlong. On Saturday, he gets that furlong.
#7- Cju (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by E Maldonado)- At 122 pounds, the BC Turf runner up will be the highweight in this race, but I don’t think it will by enough over the key rivals here for it to be a big factor. The larger factor for him, is if he can be as dominant on the main track as he has been on the turf. On the grass, he’s been outstanding, but he has been successful in the past on the dirt, winning his last such race, the LS Handicap (Grade 3) over Memorial Day weekend. This isn’t the LS Handicap. What we do know about him is that he loves to run forever, and that will make him a top threat in this field. We shall see how he stacks up against the biggest names all around in racing.
#8- Blue Guy (Grimley, ridden by M Franco)- Coming off a victory in the $400.000 Poseidon, a similar race to the Pegasus World Cup run on the undercard of that event, just for a slightly lower purse. Blue Guy is one of two that come here off of that race and should be just fine stepping back up to the higher level of competition. His 2016 saw several good races, but actually only one victory, that being the 2016 TAM Derby. So, hey, since we’re running that race on the same day this year, maybe this will be a good omen for him. He’s a bit too inconsistent overall for me to pick in a race like this, though.
#9- A One (Eastern Equine, ridden by R Bejarano)- The 2015 PRK and Travers winner will be making his 25th career start in the SA Handicap, and he has still shown the ability to get the job done, but he is not the dominant horse that he once was. He comes out of the Poseidon, a race he probably should have won, but instead finished third. Last November, he ran here in the BC Dirt Mile, and finished fifth. I think he is a due for a big one and I really like his work here on the 2nd of this month. The effect of carrying 119 pounds is also worth watching, as he has not carried less then 122 since the TAM Derby of 2015. I have a very good feeling amount him here.
#10- Atomic Twister (Blushing Meadows, ridden by I Ortiz)- It is a triumphant return to SA for the 2016 winner of the BC Classic. That alone makes his entry here exciting and should place him as one of the favorites. It was one of two wins for him last season, and that is why when it came time to award Horse Of The Year, a two year old filly garnered more attention. Like many others here, his first race of this season was the Pegasus World Cup, and it was not one of his better races. He’ll start from a similar post in this race, but I do think he needs the tenth furlong to really see him at his best. As he has a chance to go a little longer here, and because you know that he is due for a big race, he absolutely must be seen as a top threat here. He knows what it takes to win a big race here at SA, and he may do it again!
#11- Spring Lover (Mb Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- Another one who ran here in the BC Classic and would also go to GP for the Pegasus. While in the BC Classic, Spring Lover had a big race, and finished in a dead heat for third. His biggest wins of the season came in the Grade 1 BG Stakes at KEE in April, and the Grade 2 LA (Los Alamitos) Derby in September. The Pegasus did not go as well, where he could only finish 7th. Like a few others in this field, I believe that he is going to benefit from the tenth furlong here, and I expect that he will contend, but he is lacking a win against the elite.
#12- Port On The Horizon (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- We last saw him in the Pegasus World Cup, and it seemed like he ran fifth for the entire race. This will be the 24th race in the five year old gelding’s career, and he has not won since January of 2016. That seems kind of surprising to me, but to the trainer’s credit, he has not backed down from placing Port On The Horizon in Grade 1 events, and while he has not won in a while, there have been a handful of good finished. From my perspective, the highlight of that is likely the 3rd place finish in the Pacific Classic. He is one of the low weights in this field, so the time is now to step up!
#13- Salt Lake City (Yahudi Stables, ridden by J J Castellano)- Like Port On The Horizon, it has also been a while since Salt Lake City has last been in the winner’s circle. That victory was in the 2016 Donn Handicap. Following that race, he seemed to struggle a little bit, but began showing a resurgence in late July at the MTH Cup. He was still able to run in the BC Dirt Mile here last fall, and ran fourth. So, now he comes to the SA Handicap, and it will be under a new trainer. This will be his debut for Yahudi Stables, who purchased him from Boomtown last month in private sales for $150.000.
#14- Rajivs Roadblock (Night Rider Stables, ridden by R Maragh)- Been a while since I have been able to report on this trainer and jockey combination teaming up, but it has not been a while since I have been impressed by this horse. I was able to cover his last race, which was not the Pegasus, but the SSM Classic, and the way he closed in the stretch, passing everyone on the outside was a true joy to watch. So maybe this outside post means he has them right where he wants them! This is a different race, and will be the biggest challenge of his career but it is also, the perfect time to take the shot. Perhaps what holds him back here is that there are several others here who are also going to have the same game plan as he was able to execute in the SSM Classic. Plenty of talent here, and be watching for him in the stretch!
Prediction: 2-10-4-9
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
