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.San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita Park on February 23
Posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
On the Acorn, victorious in Santa Anita Park’s San Juan Capistrano Handicap and Hollywood Park’s Jim Murray Memorial Handicap last spring before going to the sidelines for nine months, returns to action as the 117-pound high weight among 11 entrants in Saturday’s $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. II) at 1 1/2 miles on turf with defending champion Obrigado is also included in the field of 11 horses.
The complete field for the San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, with jockeys and weights in post position order:
- Porfido under jockey David Flores carries 114 lbs.
- Sohgol under jockey Joseph Talamo, 109 lbs.
- Sudan under jockey Michael Baze, 116 lbs.
- Obrigado under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 115 lbs.
- Spring House under jockey Garrett Gomez, 116 lbs.
- Add Heat under jockey Tyler Baze, 112 lbs.
- Isipingo under jockey Aaron Gryder, 115 lbs.
- Rocket Legs under jockey Mike Smith, 115 lbs.
- Church Service under jockey Martin Garcia, 111 lbs.
- On the Acorn under jockey Victor Espinoza, 117 lbs.
- Niagara Causeway under jockey Jon Court, 112.
Victor Espinoza, aboard for On the Acorn’s pair of Grade II wins last spring, will be reunited with the 7-year-old British-bred gelding who was claimed for $40,000 by horse trainer Mike Mitchell in November of 2006 and proceeded to earn $398,400 for Indizguys Stable during the next five months.
Following two optional claiming event wins, On the Acorn moved into graded stakes company in last year’s San Luis Obispo. While Obrigado got through along the inside for the 1/2 length victory, On the Acorn was carried wide through the stretch before gaining second via the disqualification of runner-up One Off.
According to horse trainer Mike Mitchell, On the Acorn needed some time off after his ambitious schedule during the previous 12-month span. “He got to where his feet were bothering him,” said the trainer. “He was getting body sore.”
With a career record of 7-3-3 in 28 starts for total earnings of $560,812, On the Acorn has been training forwardly for his return, but Mike Mitchell isn’t sure how he will respond to the marathon distance following so much time off. “I’ve never tried this before,” said the 59-year-old trainer who has saddled over 2,000 winners.
French-bred Obrigado, who has not won in seven starts since the 2007 San Luis Obispo Handicap, will attempt to become the third 2-time winner of the stakes race inaugurated in 1950. Great Communicator won back-to-back runnings in 1988 and ‘89. St. Vincent connected in 1955 and ‘57.
Obrigado will carry 115 and be ridden by Rafael Bejarano, who was aboard for the first time when the 5-year-old bay gelding finished 3rd in the San Marcos Handicap (gr. II) at 1 1/4 miles on January 19.
Trained by Neil Drysdale for Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso, Obrigado shows career earnings of $516,424 from a 5-4-5 record in 22 races including his first seven in France.
Irish-bred Sudan, winner of the Group I Gran Primero di Milano in Italy last June, is set to make his United States debut for trainer Bobby Frankel in the 52nd running of the San Luis Obispo Handicap. Michael Baze rides the 5-year-old who was assigned 116 pounds as was Spring House.
Racing once in Sweden and once in Italy, Sudan has campaigned primarily in France. Recently purchased by Gary A. Tanaka, Sudan has posted a 2-2-3 record in 12 starts for earnings of $362,028.
Owned by R. D. Hubbard and trained by Julio Canani, Spring House took the Carleton F. Burke (gr. III) over 1 1/2 miles during last fall’s Oak Tree meet before finishing third behind Sunriver and Champs Elysees in the Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. I) on December 8. Garrett Gomez, in the saddle for the Burke, has the return assignment.
A son of Chester House bred in Kentucky by owner Hubbard and partners, Spring House has performed well since joining Canani’s barn five races back. He’s finished third three times in graded stakes while winning another, the Burke. Spring House’s earnings have reached $454,284 from a 5-5-11 record in 29 starts.Rocket Legs, who defeated third-place Obrigado when running second to Champs Elysees in last month’s San Marcos, could be another factor in the contentious marathon. A son of Dynaformer owned and bred in Kentucky by Alex G. Campbell Jr., Rocket Legs is a 4-year-old with a 3-2-3 mark in 10 races for earnings of $138,474. The San Marcos was his first stakes competition for horse trainer Todd Pletcher. He broke his maiden going 1 1/2 miles.
The San Luis Obispo Handicap is scheduled as the 7th race at Santa Anita Park’s 10-race program on Saturday, February 23.
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"San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita Park on February 23" was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at 8:31 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, 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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