In what appears to be a wide-open affair at a mile and one quarter on turf, recent arrival Masteroffoxhounds and well-accomplished California-bred Acclimate figure prominently among six older horses in the Grade II, $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, February 6.
Originally scheduled to be run this past Saturday, Jan. 30, the San Marcos was moved to this Saturday to avoid heavy rains and will be contested for the 69th time.
Race 4 at Santa Anita on Saturday, February 06 - Post 4:36 PM
Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cleopatra's Strike | 8-1 | Juan Hernandez 120 Lbs |
Robert Hess, Jr. |
2 | Masteroffoxhounds | 5-2 | Joel Rosario 120 Lbs |
Richard Baltas |
3 | Starting Over | 15-1 | Drayden Van Dyke 120 Lbs |
Robert Falcone, Jr. |
4 | Acclimate | 2-1 | Tyler Baze 120 Lbs |
Philip D'Amato |
5 | Salvator Mundi | 5-2 | Flavien Prat 120 Lbs |
Philip D'Amato |
6 | Oscar Dominguez (IRE) | 7-2 | Umberto Rispoli 120 Lbs |
Richard Baltas |
Trained by Richard Baltas, Masteroffoxhounds, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by War Front, began his career at age two in Ireland and managed one win from six starts on the Emerald Isle before making his U.S. debut on Nov. 7. A non-threatening seventh in a one mile turf allowance, Masteroffoxhounds came back win going away by 4 ¼ lengths in a 1 3/8 mile turf allowance Nov. 28.
With Joel Rosario signed on to ride for the first time, Masteroffoxhounds, who earned an 87 Beyer Speed figure on Nov. 28, cuts back in distance a sixteenth of mile and looks like a "now" commodity that's capable of taking his first graded stakes for Rockingham Ranch.
In his only start last year, Acclimate was fourth, beaten two lengths going a mile and one half on turf in the Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup on Nov. 27 at Del Mar. Subsequently favored at 9-5 versus statebreds in the Cal Cup Turf Classic at a mile and one eighth here on Jan. 16, Acclimate flattened out late to finish third, beaten 1 ½ lengths. A veteran who does his best running on the lead at marathon distances on turf, Acclimate will be making his third start off a lengthy layoff and rates a solid chance with Tyler Baze back aboard.
Owned by the Ellwood Johnston Family Trust, Timmy Time Racing and Ken Tevelde, Acclimate was bred in-part by the Johnston's Old English Rancho. A Grade II winner on grass, Acclimate, a 7-year-old gelding by Acclamation, out of the Boundary mare Knows No Bounds, is 20-6-2-3 with earnings of $399,872.
Although never a threat going a mile and one eighth on turf in the Grade II San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 2, Cleopatra's Strike, who was claimed for $62,500 on Nov. 13, rallied to be second in last year's San Marcos and rates an upset chance in his second start for Bob Hess, Jr. as leading rider Juan Hernandez takes over for the first time.
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