SA Handicap (Grade 1)- $300.000 Purse
SA- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the Dirt
March 1, 2025

March comes in like a lion this year in terms of great stakes action across the virtual racing world, and the Grade 1 SA Handicap is part of the impressive slate of races that will run nationwide. It’s ten furlongs, and for four-year-olds and upward, and this year’s edition will see weights carried between 118 and 121 pounds, although the majority of the field carries 118 or 119. Unfortunately, the purse took a hit this year, and it has been a gradual reduction since 2022. In the not-so-distant past, this was a $1,000.000 race. Getting the win in 2024 was Uranus, for Threshold, and he would go on to run in the BC Classic later in the year and is still active. Neither he, nor the trainer, will be back this year, but let’s take a look now at who we will be seeing:

1- No More Rattle (Bigchief Stables, ridden by D Davis)- This six-year-old gelding has won a little over $500.000 over his seventeen-race career, but since the end of 2022, we have not seen him much. He’s only run five times since then and has made the most of his opportunities in ungraded races, making us wish we’d see him more often. Closed nicely to get up for third in the Grade 3 Hooper last month while having his picture taken with the winner.

2- Alive (Arindel, ridden by F T Alvarado)- Ran here last month in an optional claimer, and Arindel picked him up for that $100.000 tag from Riggins Racing. He won that race, and did in the prior one as well, an open allowance at BTP. He’s gone back and forth between running for smaller purses and then larger ones recently, but we should not expect that to continue with Arindel. You don’t claim a horse for $100.000 to run at BTP. He should be good at this distance, and while I am hesitant to pick him, I’d have more interest if he was at higher odds.

3- Valance (Wood Duck Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- This time last year, he was running in the Fountain Of Youth, and it was after that race that Wood Duck Stables put down $650.000 to acquire him in private sales. He’s been solid since then but likely has to race in the shadow of that large price to pick him to be profitable. Won the $125.000 Lee, a NY-bred race, in June as his highlight in Wood Duck silks. Consistent runner and appealing in here.

4- Individuation (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- As a winner of $8,000.000 in his career, Individuation has had a great run, but it is surprising to see that he has not won a race since the GP Mile at the beginning of March last year. He has not really been close in the graded races that he has been in, other than a near miss in the Suburban over the summer. He did close out 2024 running third in an open allowance here and will kick off his six-year-old campaign in this race. Has not lost anything, in regard to works, but will need to remind us of the horse he used to be here.

5- Big Bang Boom (Rock Creek, trained by F Prat)- Spent most of his career sprinting, before regularly running long in August. That day, he would run fourth in the Grade 3 Iselin Stakes, one spot better than Individuation. Even more distance would be the key, scoring a win in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup from PRX, a mile and a half race. He’s hit the board twice since and looked good last time out in the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes, placing second. Likes to come from off the pace, so everyone will need to be mindful of where he is in the stretch.

6- Dangerous Fugitive (Night Rider Stables, ridden by G Corrales)- Early last year, Night Rider picked this one up in private sales for $125.000, but to this point, Dangerous Fugitive has not run away with a victory. He seemed to be more competitive early in the year, and on the grass, than he did late in the year on the main track, and that’s going to keep me from picking him here. Certainly not hopeless and may be in the mix, but others are more appealing to me.

7- Killer Instinct (Mb Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- Another great winner out of this stable, making over $4,000.000 during his career. He’s been exclusively a turf horse since July 2023, and his results on the grass have been excellent. Accolades are great, running second twice in the BC Turf, and last time out, was seen in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, though only finished in the middle of the field. So, to the dirt we go, and on the main track before his decision, he was also successful. Very interested in seeing him run here.

8- Buck My Life (Luz International, ridden by K Kimura)- Sometimes, the realities of a handicap can seem unfair. In a field that sees some big names, it is Buck My Life that is the high weight of the field, carrying 121 pounds. Since being gelded, he’s been excellent, winning four out of five, and scored a 101 SRF last month as he went on to win the Grade 3 Hooper at GP. This is a horse to watch this year but draws a tough assignment knowing the likes of Individuation are carrying three fewer pounds.

9- Gold Vault (The Sidley Stud, ridden by T Conner)- Participated in several KYD preps over the year last year, but did not appear in any actual TC races. In July, he would run in the Haskell at MTH and flashed potential there by running third, but was not something that he could build on. Ultimately, he would be sold by prior trainer, Fractious, for $100.000 in the auction in December. Ran in the Hooper last time out, and was non-factor, a bit concerning since a couple of better performers there will run here, though there is a big difference in the race’s distance.

10- Living In The Matrix (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- The six-year-old horse by Candlestick has put up triple digit SRF’s in five of his last six starts. That stretch began with his win in the Suburban last summer, and although his speed figures have been very consistent, his finishes have not been. This suggests to me that this is a great race for him to be running in, if not to win, to at least get a strong finish. I like that he will be carrying just 119 pounds here, too. Always seems to go off at high odds, and I would not rule out him getting overlooked by bettors again here.

11- Too Short (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by J Talamo)- Another horse that came out of the Hooper last month, and I am provided with the way too easy pun of saying that may have been too short for Too Short. Since the summer, he’s been very hit and miss, and that has better whether sprinting or running a race similar in distance to this one. Works show that he belongs here, but whether or not he can be trusted to bring the good version of himself is another story.

Prediction: 10-7-3-5

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES