Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Horse Racing Results: Cowboy Cal Wins San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita Park
Posted on Saturday, January 10th, 2009
Cowboy Cal triumphed by a nose over 28-1 longshot Informed in Santa Anita Park‘s 72nd running of the $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap (G2) covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.26.
With jockey John Velasquez in the saddle for race horse trainer Todd Pletcher, 5-2 second-choice Cowboy Cal assumed command soon after the start. Despite drifting out in deep stretch, he gamely denied the closing surge of Informed, well-beaten at 44-1 in his only previous stakes try after being claimed for $25,000 last June.
Cowboy Cal withstood an inquiry regarding 3-2 favorite Well Armed and jockey Aaron Gryder. They took up behind the leading pair just inside the sixteenth pole before finishing fourth, a neck behind third-place Magnum, who finished 1 1/4 lengths to the rear of Informed.
The stewards ruled that, although the San Pasqual winner Cowboy Cal indeed drifted out, “he was clear of Well Armed when the rider checked.”
As a result, Cowboy Cal paid $7.60, $5 and $3.60. The prices on Informed, ridden by jockey Michael Baze, were $22.80 and $12.20. Magnum, with jockey Martin Pedroza aboard, returned $12 to show.
“This horse (Cowboy Cal) is basically a length from being a two-time Grade I winner,” noted Michael McCarthy, assistant to race horse trainer Pletcher, referring to a three-quarter length defeat in last November’s Hollywood Derby and a neck loss in last April’s Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
“Both races were tough beats,” added McCarthy, “and stung a little bit, but he’s a very good horse in his own right.”
A 4-year-old homebred son of Giant’s Causeway, Cowboy Cal earned $90,000 for race horse owners Robert and Janice McNair to bring his career total to $597,708 from a 5-3-0 record in 10 starts. Cowboy Cal’s only out-of-the money finishes were in his maiden debut and the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The McNairs also own the National Football League (NFL) Houston Texans.
Jockey John Velasquez said he did not intend to take the lead quite so soon on Saturday’s San Pasqual Handicap. “But when I took a hold of him going to the first turn, he took off,” he said. “I thought I’d be able to get him to rate, but he was very difficult to settle.”
“On the backside I was able to get him to relax. When they came to him at the top of the stretch, I had a lot of horse,” continued jockey John Velazquez. “It seemed like he waited on the other horses, but when he got into the competition, he fought back.”
Informed, a 5-year-old trained by Doug O’Neill for a partnership, turned in the race of his life in defeat. His previous stakes venture was a tenth-place finish, 7 3/4 lengths behind Well Armed in Oak Tree’s Goodwood Stakes (G1) last October.
Assistant trainer McCarthy indicated that the tentative plan for Cowboy Cal would be Santa Anita’s $250,000 Strub Stakes (G2) on February 7 followed by the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 7.
Mostacolli Mort was fifth in Santa Anita‘s San Pasqual Handicap followed by Racketeer, Past the Point, Marchfield and Ball Four. Blue Exit, Noble Court and Slew’s Tizzy were scratched.
Sunday’s 9-race program at Santa Anita Park is headed by the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies.
Horse racing news edited from www.santaanita.com.
Tags: Ball Four, Blue Exit, Cowboy Cal, Informed, Magnum, Marchfield, Mostacolli Mort, Noble Court, Past the Point, Racketeer, Slew's Tizzy, Well Armed
"Horse Racing Results: Cowboy Cal Wins San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita Park" was posted on Saturday, January 10th, 2009 at 10:14 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Santa Anita Track, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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