San Antonio Handicap Field Losing Its Luster

When nominations closed Feb. 5 for today’s $200,000 San Antonio Handicap, fans at Santa Anita looked forward to a replay of last year’s race of the meet.

Among the 17 horses nominated were Precisionist, Greinton and Gate Dancer, who had finished one, two, three, respectively, in the 1985 Charles H. Strub Stakes, with Precisionist barely edging Greinton at the wire and Gate Dancer just a half-length back.

Now it appears that none of the three will be running Sunday. Trainer Ross Fenstermaker scratched Precisionist on Thursday for weight reasons, fearing that a victory as the 127-pound high weight would further hinder his chances in the March 2 Santa Anita Handicap.

Then on Friday, Gate Dancer’s trainer, Jack Van Berg, pulled his horse from the 1 1/8-mile race, saying that racing’s richest active thoroughbred “just isn’t quite where I wanted him.”

Chances are that Greinton will not run, either. Trainer Charlie Whittingham again said that he would not run Greinton in the mud, and more rain was forecast for the weekend. The main track was listed as muddy through the first three races Friday, then was upgraded to good.

The San Antonio is the final major prep for the Big ‘Cap, but it appears that Santa Anita’s big three will now just have to train up to it without a prep. Greinton and Gate Dancer were second and third, respectively, in last year’s Santa Anita Handicap, won by Lord at War.

The rain and threat of rain is causing all kinds of problems for trainers at Santa Anita.

For example, Whittingham had entered Strawberry Road in both today’s San Antonio Handicap and Monday’s San Luis Obispo Handicap, but by Friday evening Whittingham still did not know which race to keep him in. The $150,000 San Luis Obispo is run on the grass, but will be switched to the main track if the rain continues.

If it is switched, Whittingham would prefer to run Strawberry Road with stablemate Hail Bold King today. But he will have to make the decision before knowing which surface will be used Monday.

Van Berg, meanwhile, will run Herat in place of Gate Dancer in today’s San Antonio.

Trainer John Gosden has entered Barberstown and Hatim today, but could pull them both if conditions are muddy.