A HOUSE-WARMING PARTY; FREE HOUSE OUTRUNS TOUGH BIG 'CAP FIELD.Byline: Art Wilson Arthur Earl "Dutch" Wilson (December 11, 1885 in Macon, Illinois; died June 12, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois) was a catcher in Major League Baseball. Art Wilson was the catcher for Cubs pitcher Hippo Vaughn during the "double no-hitter" game in 1917. Chris McCarron Christopher John "Chris" McCarron (b. March 27 1955, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame retired jockey. He was introduced to the sport of thoroughbred racing by his older brother, jockey Gregg McCarron. is a little new to this Silver Charm-Free House rivalry, but it didn't take the jockey long to know the score after winning Saturday's Grade I $1 million Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the late winter at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses three years old and up, and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during . ``It's 5-3 now,'' McCarron said in the jockeys' room after guiding Free House to a half-length victory over Event of the Year in a much-anticipated race that lived up to its hype. Silver Charm Silver Charm (born February 22 1994) is an American Champion Thoroughbred race horse. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Gary Stevens, Silver Charm won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before falling short of the Triple Crown by placing second in the Belmont , the even-money favorite, had a rough trip from the No. 1 post position and finished third. Silver Charm and jockey Gary Stevens
It was Free House's second victory in a $1 million race in the past seven months - he also won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August - and it ended a four-race losing streak to Silver Charm. ``It's nice to beat Silver Charm again,'' co-owner John Toffan said. ``I was beginning to think it wouldn't happen, although I still feel we should have won the (1997) Preakness.'' Free House's last victory against Silver Charm before Saturday came in the 1997 Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. . Silver Charm got the best of the 5-year-old California-bred in all three Triple Crown races that year, and he continued his dominance with a 2-1/2-length victory in the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap The Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1982 during the Oak Tree Racing Association at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. at Oak Tree in October. Silver Charm still holds the overall edge, but Free House is beginning to stamp himself as a horse you don't want to let have the lead. The son of Smokester went gate to wire in winning the San Antonio Handicap The San Antonio Handicap is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park each year. The race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. The Grade II event offers a purse of $250,000. Round Table won this race in 1958. last month, and he duplicated the feat Saturday to give trainer Paco Gonzalez his first Big 'Cap victory and McCarron his second. Once McCarron overcame a rough start, it was clear sailing. Free House hopped in the air a bit at the beginning, but he was in front by a head the first time past the grandstand and kept the lead while posting fractions of :23.56, :47.40 and 1:11.46 en route to a final clocking of 2:00.67 for the 1-1/4 miles on the main track. Longshot Dr Fong pressed Free House early, and Event of the Year and Silver Charm took turns with late bids. But Free House, the 4-1 third choice, found another gear to record his ninth victory in 21 starts. McCarron said he knew Free House was going to be tough to catch when he chirped to him on the far turn and could feel he had a lot of horse left. ``I looked down at the fuel gauge and saw the needle still on full and I thought, `Man, this is awesome,' '' McCarron said. ``I went ahead and tapped him on the shoulder and he just jumped forward, sort of like Alysheba did when he won the (1988) Santa Anita Handicap.'' Free House returned $10.20, $5.20 and $2.80 and spoiled Richard Mandella's bid to become the first trainer to saddle three consecutive Big 'Cap winners. Notes: Lord Smith, ridden by Garrett Gomez, lost the lead to 3-2 favorite Hawksley Hill in midstretch but rallied back along the rail to win the Arcadia Handicap by a head. . . . Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. guided 5-2 second choice Big Jag to a half-length victory in the 7-furlong San Carlos Handicap The San Carlos Handicap is a Grade II stakes race for Thoroughbred horses run at California's Santa Anita Park each year. The race is open to horses, aged four and up, willing to race seven furlongs on the dirt and offers a purse of $150,000. . CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) Jockey Chris McCarron, left, jokes with Free House co-owner Trudy McCaffery. Michael Caulfield/Associated Press |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion