SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO INVITATIONAL: BIENAMADO KEEPS WIN IN FAMILY.

Byline: Fred J. Robledo Staff Writer

ARCADIA - In the back of trainer Paco Gonzalez's mind heading into Saturday's $400,000 Grade I San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap was Bienamado's stumble in the Santa Anita Handicap, resulting in a ninth-place finish.

But Bienamado was back on his favorite surface and became the first San Juan Capistrano winner sired by a former winner in the 64-year-history of the race.

Following in the hoofsteps of his sire, Bien Bien, who won in 1994, Bienamado sped past Persianlux in the final stretch to win his fifth Southern California turf victory in as many starts, and his first victory since capturing the San Marcos Stakes in January.

Bienamado's time of 2 minutes, 42.96 seconds is a stakes and course record for the distance. The race was run for the fifth straight year at 259 feet short of 1 3/4 miles on the hillside turf course.

``I was worried he would be afraid when he came out of the gate, but I schooled him before,'' Gonzalez said. ``I took him in the mornings and let him gallop out of the gate so the horse would get some confidence. I didn't want him to forget and I thought he broke pretty good.''

Bienamado returned $3.80 as the 4-5 favorite. When he came off the hill and onto the dirt, he settled nicely behind the leaders and stalked the pace before

taking the lead at the 1/8 pole.

``When he hit the ground, he looked relaxed,'' Gonzalez said. ``At that point, we were in a perfect spot. I thought maybe he was going to get boxed in, and then on the backside he got on the outside and he was sitting perfect. The other horse (Persianlux) had no quit in him. He ran a big race.''

The 5-year-old captured his seventh race in 14 starts and increased his career earnings to more than $1 million.

Co-owner John Toffan compared Bienamado to Bien Bien, one of the best distance turf horses in the early 1990s.

``They're very similar horses,'' Toffan said. ``But this guy might have a better turn of foot. That's just my feeling.''

The victory also gave Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron his 6,996th career victory. He needs four to join Laffit Pincay Jr., Bill Shoemaker, Pat Day, David Gall, Russell Baze and Angel Cordero Jr. as the only jockeys with 7,000 wins.

McCarron seems to be enjoying it.

``I only get nervous when I get interviewed about it,'' he said. ``Maybe I should just ride one per day, milk this for all it's worth with all the publicity I've been getting.''

--Astra excels: Trainer Simon Bray got another fine effort from Astra. The Allen Paulson Living Trust Kentucky homebred won her seventh race in eight starts, beating Beautiful Noise by three lengths to capture Saturday's $250,000 Santa Barbara Handicap (Grade II) over the one-mile turf course.

The five-year-old Theatrical mare won a pair of graded stakes last year, including the Grade I Gamely Handicap at Hollywood Park last June, but this was her first start in nine months.

``You know what, Simon choreographed a perfect work for her last time and I think it was because of her previous work why she was just perfect today,'' said Astra's rider, Kent Desormeaux. ``She's a very eager mare, she's keen to get things done and she was just perfect today. She got into a canter, she galloped to the quarter pole, and when I swung her out (for the stretch run), she took off so fast, she nearly gave me whiplash.''