SANTA ANITA HANDICAP: BIG 'CAP LOOKING AT BIG FIELD OF 14.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer ARCADIA - Anybody who is anybody - plus a handful of nobodies - among Southern California's healthy older thoroughbreds was entered Wednesday in the $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 on Saturday. If all 14 horses start, it will be the biggest field in the race known as the Big 'Cap since the 1983 running in which Bates Bates , Katherine Lee 1859-1929. American educator and writer best known for her poem "America the Beautiful," written in 1893 and revised in 1904 and 1911. Motel and jockey Terry Lipham defeated 16 opponents. If the Stronach Stables-owned pair of Euchre euchre (y  `kər), card game, played usually by four persons (two sets of partners). The game originated among the Amish and was a popular card game in America in the late 19th cent. and Milwaukee Brew, rated on top by morning-line maker Jeff Tufts, goes off at the joint 7-2 odds that Tufts projects, it will be the highest price on a Big 'Cap favorite since 7-2 Lightning Mandate finished third in the 1976 running won by Royal Glint and Jorge Tejeira. The sheer number of wagering interests, and the lack of a standout favorite, will make it an interesting race for the gamblers in the crowd that should approach 30,000 at Santa Anita and 50,000 including inter-track facilities. But quantity doesn't necessarily indicate quality. The handlers of several of the entrants decided to compete only after Malibu and Strub stakes winner Mizzen Mast was declared out of the race because of a foot injury disclosed last weekend. The 14 scheduled runners include not a single winner of a Grade I race such as the Big 'Cap, although Futural finished first in the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions. last July only to be disqualified for bumping. Since the retirement of Tiznow, the 2000 Horse of the Year and 2000 and 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 years old and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles (2012 m) on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. winner, local racing has been looking for a new star of the 4-year-olds-and-up division. Maybe one will begin to emerge Saturday. Bobby Frankel, the nation's champion trainer the past two years, lost his best chance for his first Big 'Cap victory when Mizzen Mast got hurt. But Frankel has good shots with Euchre and Milwaukee Brew. Euchre heads the entry after finishing second in 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. behind Redattore, another recent winner who has since been sidelined with an injury. Nine of the 14 jockeys have won the Big 'Cap before. Euchre is ridden by one who hasn't. ``I think the mile-and-a-quarter (distance of the Big 'Cap) is right down (Euchre's) alley,'' Garrett Gomez said Wednesday after his mount drew the ninth starting slot. Gomez said he thinks Euchre, who runs close to the early lead, will have to deal with a sharp pace. Sky Jack, ridden by five-time Big 'Cap winner Laffit Pincay, and Giant Gentlemen, ridden by one-time winner Alex Solis, could be the pacesetters after breaking from posts 3 and 4. Mike Smith, the Big 'Cap nonwinner who will ride stretch-running Cagney from post 1 for two-time Big 'Cap-winning trainer Richard Mandella, knows the crowded track could create traffic problems but hopes the fast pace will soften up the front-runners. ``I think it's almost better for us to have a big field,'' Smith said. ``Sometimes when there's a small field, they're able to go slow up front.'' The 65th Santa Anita is part of an 11-race program starting at noon Saturday. Also of interest is the $200,000 San Rafael Stakes The San Rafael Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park, located in Arcadia, California. The race is a Grade II event with a purse of $150,000 and is open to three-year-olds willing to race one mile (8 furlongs) on the dirt. for 3- year-olds, featuring San Vicente Stakes The San Vicente Stakes is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park each year. The race is open to horses, age three, willing to race seven furlongs on the dirt and carries a purse of $150,000. The great racing filly, Busher, won this race against males in 1945. winner Came Home's first attempt at a two-turn race. Came Home and his eight opponents in the 1-mile race have their sights on the April 3 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. . CAPTION(S): box Box: SANTA ANITA HANDICAP LINEUP |
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