Judge Angelucci Catches Ferdinand Short

When Judge Angelucci is retired and it comes time to assess his career, it’s not likely that he’ll be revered. Horses that have trouble winning beyond 1 1/8 miles are seldom candidates for greatness.

But what will be remembered about Judge Angelucci is that he beat Ferdinand twice--once while his stablemate was forging a successful horse-of-the-year campaign, and again when Ferdinand was beginning a defense of his title.

The second time came Sunday before 41,396 at Santa Anita, where the $269,200 San Antonio Handicap just happened to be at Judge Angelucci’s favorite distance, 1 1/8 miles. Taking the lead on the far turn, Judge Angelucci put almost three lengths between him and Crimson Slew at the top of the stretch, and then he reached the wire 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Ferdinand, who managed second place after once trailing by about 12 lengths.

Charlie Whittingham beat himself and helped himself in the San Antonio. He trains both the winner and the runner-up, and while winning Sunday’s race with one horse, he should benefit with the other, who will draw a less demanding weight assignment when he faces Alysheba and Super Diamond in the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on March 6. Whittingham’s guess is that Ferdinand will be weighted at one pound more than Alysheba.

Judge Angelucci, who carried 122 pounds, 6 fewer than Ferdinand, in the San Antonio, is also expected to run in the Big ‘Cap, and although the distance of 1 miles appears to be beyond the Judge’s limitations, jockey Eddie Delahoussaye will be there to find out.

When Gary Baze, Judge Angelucci’s regular rider, conceded to a weight problem late last year, Delahoussaye took over for a third-place finish, behind Ferdinand and Alysheba, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and then for a second to Super Diamond in the San Pasqual Handicap two weeks ago.

Looking ahead to the Big ‘Cap, Delahoussaye said: “If he gets to sit off by himself in the race, and gets to do what he wants to do, who knows? He could be tough if he runs by himself instead of going head-up on the lead with someone else.

“If he can run the first mile and an eighth without any pressure, I don’t care how good the other horses are, it might be tough for them to stop him the rest of the way.”

Judge Angelucci first beat Ferdinand in last June’s Californian at Hollywood Park--another 1 1/8-mile stake. Four of Judge Angelucci’s six stakes wins have come at Sunday’s distance. Ferdinand didn’t lose again in 1987, winning four straight and being voted the national title.

Delahoussaye, who won his sixth race in two days and his second stake of the weekend, thought the San Antonio would set up as a speed duel with Judge Angelucci, Faster Than Sound and Crimson Slew. Faster Than Sound was there, but Crimson Slew lagged in third place, not close to the pair up front. Crimson Slew may have been in distress early, and after he crossed the wire third, a neck back of Ferdinand, the Seattle Slew colt went lame and had to be removed from the track in a van.

Faster Than Sound wound up last in the six-horse field. Judge Angelucci passed him with about three-eighths of a mile to run, and Delahoussaye had that winning feeling even then.

“He felt very strong,” the jockey said. “Unlike the last race, he wasn’t head to head with anybody. At the half-mile pole, he was relaxed, and I knew he was going to be tough. In the stretch, he really accelerated and just took off.

“I knew Ferdinand would be coming, but by then I wasn’t worried about him, I was just concerned about where the wire was.”

Ferdinand was carrying 128 pounds for the first time in his life and making his first appearance since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic 11 weeks ago, the victory that clinched horse-of-the-year honors for the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner.

“The pace was fast, so I didn’t rush him,” said Ferdinand’s jockey, Bill Shoemaker. “I still thought he ran good. He finished good.”

Whittingham won a race with a horse who doesn’t have the look of ‘Big Cap winner, and got a useful race into a rested horse who has 1 miles written all over him.

“The Judge can be long gone when he gets in front,” Whittingham said. “Give him an easy lead and he can be double tough. That’s the way he runs. He only got beat about a length in the Breeders’ Cup, you know.

“It was a good race for Ferdinand. He had to come from a long way back. As long as he comes back good from this race, I’ll be satisfied.”

When Sabona was scratched from the San Antonio, Whittingham wound up with half of the field. His third starter, Swink, who is also a ‘Big Cap possibility, was running on dirt for the first time and finished fifth.

Judge Angelucci, the second betting choice behind the 7-10 Ferdinand, paid $6.20, $2.40 and $2.20. Ferdinand paid $2.40 and $2.10 and Crimson Slew returned $2.20.

Judge Angelucci is an Honest Pleasure-Victorian Queen 5-year-old, bred by Tom Gentry and racing in the name of Gentry’s son, Olin. Timed in 1:48 3/5, Judge Angelucci earned $156,700. He has $1.3 million for his career, no paltry total. But this is a middle-distance horse who will be remembered for his wins over Ferdinand, not the money he made.

Horse Racing Notes

By riding He’s a Saros to a fourth-place finish in the San Antonio Handicap, Jorge Velasquez joined Laffit Pincay, Angel Cordero and Bill Shoemaker as the only jockeys to surpass $100 million in career purses. Pincay tops the list with $127 million, Cordero has about $121 million and Shoemaker is at $118 million. When Cordero, who resumed riding in New York and Florida for the last several days after suffering back and chest injuries at Santa Anita on Dec. 30, returns to California on Wednesday, all four $100-million jockeys will then be competing at Santa Anita. Velasquez, 41, has ridden more than 5,800 winners, the first coming in his native Panama in 1963. . . . Shoemaker was not injured when he was dumped by Predicted Winner, a 3-year-old filly, coming out of the gate in the sixth race. “I was going to move with her, but she pulled against me,” Shoemaker said. “It was an embarrassing moment.” . . . Trainer Johnny Longden celebrated his 81st birthday Sunday. . . . Seattle Sangue, a 3-year-old Seattle Slew-Sangue filly, won her first race in six lifetime starts Sunday, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 4/5 and coasting home by six lengths. Seattle Sangue’s career started in France as a 2-year-old, and she had finished second in two American starts. . . . Pat Valenzuela, who hasn’t ridden since Feb. 4, agreed to take a urinalysis Sunday and if that test and subsequent tests prove negative for drugs, he will probably resume riding Friday. “We’ve heard the rumors about Pat, but we are limited in what we can do,” said Pete Pedersen, a Santa Anita steward. “He’s been away from riding several times for various reasons, but he’s never tested positive, and we’ve tested him often. The other thing is that when he comes back, he’s in shape to ride right away. It doesn’t take him any time to get back in gear.” . . . Santa Anita has a holiday program today, with Forlitano favored to win the San Luis Obispo Handicap.