OAK TREE : Colt’s Buddy System Pays Off

Thanks to In Excess, it wasn’t a totally bad weekend for Bruce Jackson.

After he watched Native Twine finish last at Keeneland Saturday and Aksar run eighth in the Budweiser International Sunday, the trainer was saved on the home front.

With Jack Carava saddling the colt in Jackson’s place, In Excess took advantage of a perfect trip to easily win the $110,300 Volante Handicap Sunday at Santa Anita.

The 2-1 second choice, In Excess tracked pacesetter Pro For Sure for six furlongs, then came away under Gary Stevens. The final margin was 2 1/4 lengths over favored Warcraft with Barton Dene another half-length back in third.

In winning his second consecutive race, the son of Siberian Express covered the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46 3/5.

Overly nervous in his two races at Del Mar, In Excess has calmed down since he started having company on the track.

“In his first two races in the United States, he went to the gate without a pony,” Stevens said after completing a weekend stakes sweep. He won the Linda Vista on Saturday aboard A Wild Ride.

“In the Del Mar, he got uncontrollable in the post parade and in the race. He just burned himself out. He’s gone to the post with a pony in his last two races and he’s become much more relaxed. He’s got a nice turn of foot when he relaxes and he relaxed today. He’s a nice colt and I like him a lot.”

Purchased in England by bloodstock agent Richard Duggan for owner Jack Munari, In Excess now has five victories in 10 lifetime starts and the $65,300 he won Sunday pushed his earnings to $179,293.

Warcraft, who had some traffic trouble when a tiring Pro For Sure raced a bit erratically through the stretch, has now been second in three of his four turf starts and still is seeking his first stakes success.

“My colt ran hard and he felt just fine on the footing,” jockey Chris McCarron said. “He’s such a hard doer in the morning. It feels like he’s just breezing in the morning, but he might not be able to go much faster than that.

“I had a feeling Gary was on the horse to beat. I rode against him in his last race in Louisiana (the Temperence Hill Handicap) and Gary was riding him in the stretch like he had to go around another time.”

A 9-1 shot, Barton Dene finished third despite a bad break and being wide early. He was followed by Balla Cove, Pro For Sure, Dachi’s Folly, Green’s Leader and Mehmetori, who bowed a tendon in his right front leg and had to be vanned off the track.

Best Pal isn’t owner John Mabee’s only talented 2-year-old.

The man behind Golden Eagle Farm has another promising prospect named General Meeting.

The son of Seattle Slew beat another highly regarded Seattle Slew colt, Cien Fuegos, in Sunday’s fourth race. Trained by David Hofmans and ridden by Chris McCarron, the Kentucky-bred General Meeting covered the six furlongs in 1:09 1/5 and performed like a seasoned veteran in his debut.

Outrun by Cien Fuegos and two others early, General Meeting slipped through along the rail when room developed, and unlike many inexperienced horses, wasn’t hesitant about being on the inside.

“He seems like he’s got some potential,” said McCarron after the three-length victory. “I worked him the other day and David told me he liked him. David did a tremendous job getting him to the races. The colt was very professional and didn’t mind being on the inside.”