Great Communicator Pulls Surprise in the $167,900 San Marcos Handicap

Great Communicator scored the richest victory of his career Sunday, beating fellow longshot Schiller by a head in the 36th running of the $167,900 San Marcos Handicap at Santa Anita.

It was the first victory for Great Communicator since last July, but the 5-year-old son of Key to the Kingdom had posted surprise second-place finishes last year in the Hollywood Invitational and Washington D.C. International.

The crowd of 41,138 installed the entry of Swink and Rivilia as the favorite, but the pair ran last and next-to-last in the field of 10 on the 1-mile grass course.

Great Communicator, under Ray Sibille, was sent off at 12-1 odds and paid $26.80, $11.80 and $8. Schiller returned $31.40 and $16.20 while Bello Horizonte paid $10.40 to show.

Great Communicator took advantage of a slow pace and finished the course in 2:02 3/5. He earned a purse of $100,400 for the Class Act Stable of George Ackel and Rosalie Dufrene of Louisiana to increase his career earnings to $493,490.

Forlitano and the favored entry of Swink and Rivilia are trained by Charles Whittingham and were highly regarded after having swept all three places last summer in the $250,000 Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park.