Palomar Handicap : Best to Forget Odds When It Comes to Capichi

When Capichi went out at 15-to-1 in the Palomar Handicap Saturday at Del Mar, jockey Russell Baze couldn’t believe it.

“I was surprised to see her at that price,” Baze said. “She was at that price at Hollywood Park.”

Capichi won the Something Royal Handicap May 12 at Hollywood Park as a 15-to-1 pick. Saturday, she won the Palomar Handicap at the same odds. There was reason for Capichi being rated so low in the Palomar Handicap. In her last race, June 16 at Golden Gate, she finished a disappointing fifth in the Countess Fager Handicap.

However, Baze traditionally has done well aboard Capichi. He said he had ridden the filly to three or four other stakes wins in San Francisco.

Lately, things had not been going so well for Baze. He missed 12 days with a sprained ankle two months ago, then came back and reinjured the ankle, which sidelined him another 10 days. He returned last Sunday.

“My ankle’s still a little sore,” he said. “It’s strong enough to where I’m not damaging it.”

At the outset of Saturday’s race, it appeared Capichi would do little damage. She remained toward the back of the pack before finding room on the rail to rally. Capichi took the lead at the furlong pole and held off L’Attrayante to win. Gala Event finished third.

Johnica was the favorite and stayed on the tail of Gala Event, the early leader. However, Johnica faded to finish seventh in the eight-horse field.

“She was trying to get out and never really picked up the bit,” jockey Laffit Pincay said about Johnica. “But she pulled up fine.”

In the meantime, Capichi was waiting to make her move from behind.

“That’s the way she usually runs,” Baze said. “If you let her run too early, she doesn’t have punch at the end.”

Gary Jones, Capichi’s trainer, said: “When I saw Russell coming around that turn on the fence behind the wall of horses, I knew he was either going to be a hero if the hole opened, or a bum if it didn’t. No, I’m just kidding. Russell is as good of a rider as there is. He didn’t have any choice but to be where he was.”

Baze was the nation’s second-leading jockey last year with 257 wins. Pat Day was first at 296.

Jockey Marco Castaneda was somewhat of a surprise rider on L’Attrayante in the Palomar Handicap. He had suffered a slightly bruised right knee when he was thrown from Successful Bidder in the fifth race.

“I had a little bruise, but it didn’t bother me at all,” he said. “I was placed where I wanted to be, just behind the speed.”

L’Attrayante also finished second in last year’s Palomar Handicap. The last time L’Attrayante won was June 16 in the Countess Fager Handicap.

Capichi got even for that race in the Palomar Handicap.

Del Mar Notes

Longshot Super Majesty paid $75.80 to win the sixth race Saturday. The horse was ridden by Japanese jockey Yukio Okabe. . . . Saturday’s attendance was 26,168. The parimutuel handle was $4,645,326.