Wed Feb 27 16:31:55 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Large field entered for Santa Anita Handicap

---

Arcadia, CA (Sports Network) - Saturday's running of the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap has drawn 14 older thoroughbreds, the maximum allowed to start.

The 71st edition of the 1 1/8 mile 'Big Cap' will have a different feel from prior years. Two-time defending champion Lava Man is being held back from the race. Trained by Doug O'Neill, the seven-year-old gelding may return at the Hollywood Park spring/summer meet.

Go Between, winner of the Sunshine Millions Classic here, has post 12 with jockey Garrett Gomez returning to ride. Owned by Peter Vegso, Go Between is trained by Bill Mott and is 6-1 in the morning-line.

The five-year-old has 22 career starts with seven wins for more than $1.8 million. While 19 of those starts have been on the turf, Go Between won last year's Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on a synthetic surface.

Trainer Craig Dollase's two horses entered into the "Big Cap' are the top two choices in the program. Veteran runner Awesome Gem is the 4-1 favorite with Strub Stakes winner Monterey Jazz listed at 5-1. Awesome Gem will break from post five with David Flores riding and to his outside in post six will be Monterey Jazz and rider Russell Baze.

"Russell rode him when the horse broke his maiden, so we think he's a great fit," Dollase said. "He knows the horse's ability and he's excited about coming here to ride him."

Awesome Gem is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and is after his first win since an allowance race last June at Hollywood Park. The winner of last year's San Fernando Breeders' Cup, the gelding has earnings of better than $1.61 million in 16 lifetime starts. He has been in the money 13 times with four wins and seven second place finishes.

Monterey Jazz is working on a three race win streak. Prior to his victory in the Strub, the four-year-old won the Sir Beaufort on the turf following an allowance win.

"He's really improved immensely," said Dollase after the Strub Stakes, "and hopefully we've got some bigger and better races down the road. He's really a freak of nature. We obviously found the right key with him now. He probably wanted to stretch out all along and I just didn't know that, so we've got a brand new horse on our hands, and he's the real deal."

Owned by A & R Stables and Class Racing Stable, Monterey Jazz has won five of 11 career starts for $347,740.

Here is the complete field for the 1 1/4 Santa Anita Handicap in post position order: Champs Elysees, Ramon Dominguez, 10-1; Tiago, Mike Smith, 6-1; Big Booster, Michael Baze, 15-1; Medici Code, Martin Pedroza, 15-1; Awesome Gem, David Flores, 4-1; Monterey Jazz, Russell Baze, 5-1; Zappa, Joel Rosario, 15-1; Seminole Native, Jose Valdivia Jr., 30-1; Celtic Dreamin, Alex Solis, 20-1; Heatseeker, Rafael Bejarano, 8-1; Student Council, Richard Migliore, 12-1; Go Between, Garrett Gomez, 6-1; Great Hunter, Victor Espinoza, 8-1, and Air Commander, Aaron Gryder, 20-1.

The 'Big Cap' has a scheduled post-time of 7 p.m. (et).