TRAINER: DECLAN'S MOON IS LACKING IN CONFIDENCE.Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Staff WriterARCADIA -- After the first stepping stone to the 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 , only one thing is clear about his season's $1 million race: Declan's Moon will not be a contender. Dixie Meister and jockey David Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the won Saturday's $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap The San Pasqual 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-sixteenth miles on the dirt. It offers a purse of $150,000. Winners
More decisive was what happened at the other end of the San Pasqual's field of seven older horses, where Declan's Moon finished last as the 5-2 favorite in a make-or-break race for the former 2-year-old champion. Since the knee injury that stopped Declan's Moon's undefeated march to the 2005 Kentucky Derby and sidelined the gelding gelding castrated male horse. for more than a year, he is winless in four starts, outrunning only four horses. The first three defeats came at sprint distances at Hollywood Park and Del Mar. He was supposed to relish Saturday's 11/16 miles at Santa Anita. Trainer Ron Ellis thinks the injury stole Declan's Moon's confidence to ``lay his body down'' late in a race. The San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. native said jockey Victor Espinoza told him it felt as if they were going to win by 10 lengths when they took the lead from pace setter Cheroot cheroot (shər  t`): see cigar and cigarette. on the far turn. ``Confidence is a funny thing,'' said Ellis, who referred to an old Dodgers second baseman's famous trouble with it. ``Steve Sax could throw the ball to firstbase physically, but not mentally. It can be the same with horses.'' Ellis, who had hoped for a sharp performance to make Declan's Moon a Big 'Cap favorite, indicated he'll back off and put the horse in an easier race so he can win ``and get his confidence back.'' Both Dixie Meister ($8), a 5-year-old gelding who won the 2006 Californian, and Armenian Summer rallied from the back of the pack as all of the front-runners faded. Asked if Dixie Meister is aiming for the Big 'Cap, trainer Julio Canani said, ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. .'' Earlier, Baroness Thatcher ($8.60) and Garrett Gomez won the $108,200 Santa Ysabel Stakes The Santa Ysabel Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred race horses run each year at Santa Anita Park. It is open to fillies, three years old, willing to race one and one-sixteenths of a mile on the dirt. The race is a Grade III event with a purse of $100,000. for 3-year-old fillies. Two jockeys were removed in ambulances but apparently avoided serious injury when Winrwinrchickndinr broke down in the fifth race, throwing Agapito Delgadillo, and Sabalucious fell over them, dumping Ramon Guce. heymodesti(AT_SIGN)aol.com (818) 713-3616 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Dixie Meister, right, and Armenian Summer battle down the stretch of the San Pasqual Handicap. Associated Press |
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