Because of what a California rainstorm does to a conventional dirt track, the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and the rest of an attractive card will be run this weekend March 3, not March 2 as originally advertised. There is a silver lining, because now we sports fans will not be forced to watch a fourth round yawn-fest featuring Chad Ramey and Austin Eckroat in the Cognizant Classic (that would be golf) or the finals of the Professional Bowlers Association's Delaware Classic that could come down to Andrew Anderson, Nate Stubler, or Tomas Käyhkö. Is "classic" the most overworked word in sports? We report, you decide.
Anyway, a Santa Anita Handicap run on a Sunday is no big deal, historically speaking. From the moment Sunday racing was legalized in California, the marquee race of the meet was presented on a Sunday, commencing in 1974 when a slick-shod Prince Dantan ran riot over a muddy track to crush a field that included such serious professionals as Quack, Linda's Chief, Tri Jet, Big Spruce, and Ancient Title. Some guy named Ron Turcotte, who had been recently in the news, was aboard the winner for Frank "Pancho" Martin and Sigmund Sommer.
Over the subsequent 16 years, the Santa Anita Handicap was a Sunday afternoon affair. Affirmed won the Handicap on a Sunday. So did Spectacular Bid and John Henry, twice. In 1985, a crowd of 85,527 showed up to watch Lord At War win the Santa Anita Handicap. On a Sunday. The race shifted back to Saturday in 1991 to accommodate its telecasting as part of the American Championship Racing Series and has stayed there, long after the ACRS disappeared.
Maybe a Sunday running is what the Santa Anita Handicap needs to reinvigorate its flagging fortunes. Truly, the historic event has fallen on sad times. Forces from within and without have conspired to reduce its former million-dollar status to a $400,000 purse this time around, the smallest prize in 42 years.
To their credit, a sympathetic Graded Stakes Committee continues to look the other way, allowing 79-year-old grandpa over there in the corner his grade 1 rating despite the fact that he's not getting around like he used to. But it's not all his fault. The $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) and $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) have squeezed the life out of the Santa Anita Handicap. Adding insult to injury, Santa Anita Park's ownership undermines its own product with the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at sister track Gulfstream Park in late January, a race that this year supplied three of its first four finishers to the Saudi Cup and a big fat zero to the Santa Anita event.
The Santa Anita Handicap is "presented by" the Yaamava' Resort & Casino, an enterprising business located about 50 miles east of the racetrack that opened a 17-story, 432-room hotel in 2021, along with a gaming hall that boasts "the most slots in the West." The number is 7,200. If you can hold out until May, Stevie Nicks and Ringo Starr have concert dates in the Yaamava' Theater.
The resort and casino are owned by the Yuhaaviatam clan of the San Manuel Nation, population approximately 200. Glad to have them aboard for the Santa Anita Handicap. But here's a thought. How about the San Manuel Nation and the other powerful California tribes with casino interests step aside to allow legislation that would legalize alternate forms of gambling at state racetracks? Better yet, step up in support of such legislation. Until that happens, presenting a cherished race like the Santa Anita Handicap with a tribal name attached will ring decidedly hollow.
So far, the seven runners entered Sunday are household names only in their own households, but the 1 1/4-mile distance makes the race an interesting handicapping challenge, and the track could still be wet from Saturday's predicted rains.
Newgrange has earned a nice living since he went from a stakes-winning Bob Baffert 3-year-old to a stakes-winning Phil D'Amato older horse. He was seventh in the 2023 Handicap but will be favored this time around off back-to-back scores in the San Antonio Stakes (G2) and San Pasqual Stakes (G2) at the meet.
Newgrange is not to be confused with San Pasqual runner-up Newgate , who was a stakes-winning 3-year-old and is still with Baffert. The trainer also will saddle Reincarnate, who has not raced for four months. But if you think that is a problem, you do not remember Baffert winning the 2017 running of the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) with Cupid , who had not raced for eight months.
Salesman comes off a similar four-month gap for Richard Mandella and will be shortening up for the Handicap. In his last race, the son of Dubawi loped along for 1 5/8 miles to win the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) by more than eight lengths to kick off the Nov. 4, 2023, Breeders' Cup program. Two weeks ago, Salesman worked a mile in 1:38. His mile split in the TAA Stakes was 1:38.87.
The idea of a colt with only four starts making his stakes debut in the Santa Anita Handicap would make Doc Strub spin, but that is the case with Highland Falls. The Brad Cox runner will try to finish for Godolphin what Proxy almost accomplished for Michael Stidham in the 2023 Handicap, when his stretch punch fell just neck shy of catching Stilleto Boy.
The Equibase morning line quotes none of the seven Handicap entrants in double figures. You can blame that on a horse like Subsanador, who was favored over Newgrange and Stilleto Boy in the San Antonio thanks to a sterling record in South America. He finished a languidly closing fourth that day—blame jet lag?—but he has been working like a Teamster since. On the other hand, Flavien Prat, who rode him, sticks with Salesman.
Finally, there is Mixto, a maiden as recently as November, who was second in the San Antonio and third, beaten less than two lengths to the New-boys in the San Pasqual. Although 1-for-9, the son of Good Magic has Santa Anita Handicap winners Bates Motel and Nodouble lurking in the Curlin side of his pedigree. So there's that.
These eyes—aided by a variety of binoculars somehow lost along the way—have seen all but one Santa Anita Handicap since 1973, up close and very personal. It was always the best race on the California calendar, no matter who won, because it was the race everyone wanted to win. And that was because it was the race that put California racing on the map. Its devaluation is disheartening, but not fatal, which means that by a quarter past 4 on Sunday afternoon, one of those seven Thoroughbreds will be a Santa Anita Handicap winner, just like Seabiscuit, Round Table, Alysheba, and the rest.
