San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita Park
Las Vegas, NV - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will play host to the unique Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap this Sunday, April 21. Horses four years old and upward will be after the winner's share of the $150,000 purse when they go 1 3/4 miles on Santa Anita's main track.
A field of seven will line up in the San Juan Capistrano - race 7 on Santa Anita's Sunday card. Post time is 3:36 PM. Here is a glimpse into the past performances of all seven combatants for this traditional closing day Grade 2 stakes at Santa Anita.
2013 San Juan Capistrano Handicap Race Favorites
Sky Kingdom - Bob Baffert trained Sky Kingdom had been out of action for nearly a year and returned recently to a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming here January 24 and a third in an Allowance February 22. Last time out was his most impressive result to date - a win in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths on this track March 23 with a Beyer Speed Figure of 104. He has won four times in nine career starts with one third place finish and has posted victory in every second race the last eight starts. Off an impressive win he has to be on the radar for the San Juan Capistrano - if he can adapt to the unfamiliar turf surface and the distance.
Interaction - Former Argentinean Horse of the Year Interaction has yet to find the form that made him a star in his native land. He had a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming here on June 16 and a decent second to Acclamation in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes on July 21 but had a disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap August 25. He had an OK third in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf at Santa Anita September 30 but followed that with an ugly seventh in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap here November 23. He followed that with a pair of good seconds - the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Hollywood Park December 15 and the Grade 2 San Marcos as favorite behind Slim Shadey February 9. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 2 San Luis Stakes as the 2-1 favorite on this track March 16. Interaction has yet to record a stakes win in the US but has been knocking on the door lately.
San Juan Capistrano Handicap 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
All Squared Away - Peter Miller pupil had a very impressive win in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes last April 21 at Keeneland. Since then All Squared Away has been all over the map - a pair of fifths, a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes, an Allowance Optional Claiming score August 12 at Del Mar, a terrible twelfth in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby, a fourth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby November 2 here, an eighth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby and finally a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track January 6. Last time out was a good second in the Grade 2 San Luis Stakes March 16 after an OK third behind Slim Shadey and Interaction in the Grade 2 San Marcos here February 9. He has placed in his last three starts overall and enters the Capistrano in OK form.
San Juan Capistrano Handicap betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Fire With Fire - made his graded stakes debut with a very good third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August and followed that with a sixth in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship September 30. He had a fifth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup December 15 and more recently ran second in an Allowance Optional Claiming to All Squared Away, had an OK fourth in the Grade 2 San Marcos here February 8 and a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track February 3. Last time out was a decent third in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes here March 16. Fire With Fire hasn't tasted victory in over a year - an Allowance at Saratoga.
Oilisblackgold - had a couple of OK showings in graded stakes action in 2011 but focused on Allowance Optional Claiming races before returning to graded stakes company last time out and finishing a very good second in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Stakes at Santa Anita March 23. Seven straight Allowance starts before yielded two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. He looked decent versus lesser competition and his step up last time out was a sign that Oilisblackgold is up to the challenge although he has yet to place in four tries on turf.
Smart Ellis - is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track March 3 - his only start so far in 2013. In 2012 he finished with a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes, an ugly twelfth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby November 25 and an OK third in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby on this track November 2. He also had an eighth in the Grade2 Del Mar Derby last year, an Allowance Optional Claiming score in July at Del Mar after six months away and a second in an Allowance in January. He will be looking for his first graded stakes win Sunday.
Lime Rickey - is a veteran of 38 career starts but hasn't raced in graded stakes company for the first time since 2009. He has placed in eight of his last nine starts however and has three wins over that span - the last being a Claiming at Del Mar in September. Last time out was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming here March 22.
