HORSE RACING SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO HANDICAP : Mashkour Finds Path to Victory This Time

If nothing else, the 52nd running of the $500,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap Sunday at Santa Anita was exciting.

The field of 11, which wasn’t among the finest in the Capistrano’s distinguished history, was separated by only four lengths at the end of approximately 1 3/4 miles on turf.

Mashkour, the lukewarm 7-2 favorite, was the winner of the Grade I race, beating 10-1 shot River Warden by a neck in 2:47 3/5.

Recipient of a perfect trip from Chris McCarron, who has made few mistakes at Santa Anita, Mashkour ended a six-race losing streak, winning for the first time since he beat $80,000 claimers last Oct. 13.

However, the 8-year-old Mashkour had finished second behind Itsallgreektome in the Hollywood Turf Cup and had a place in show in two stakes earlier in the Santa Anita meeting. Most recently, he had been third in the San Luis Rey Stakes last month, beaten by 2 1/2 lengths by Pleasant Variety.

“The difference today is that he had a trip,” said McCarron. “Last time, I elected to move out a bit and wound up losing ground on the next turn. The winner (Pleasant Variety) was on the fence.

“This time, I got to save all the ground and was in a better position to strike when I got the opportunity. It couldn’t have worked out better. I was on the fence on two tuns and two (wide) on the other one. When I needed clear sailing, it was there. The others who were running at the end didn’t get loose as early.

“He’s a very kind horse to ride--push-button. He’s always been a hard trier since I started riding him. A couple of races earlier in the year, he wasn’t getting a hold of the turf. It’s gotten firmer and now he’s getting hold of it.”

Although trainer Bobby Frankel’s meeting didn’t match McCarron’s, the trainer has had a very productive campaign. He is tied for third in the trainer standings with Gary Jones with 24 victories, and he has won with better than 25 percent of his starters.

“I liked this horse going in,” said Frankel after his first ‘Capistrano victory. “I said I wouldn’t trade places with anyone. I knew I would be in good shape.

“In the San Luis Rey, Chris should have kept him on the rail, then Pleasant Variety wouldn’t have gotten through. Things have been going well. Mr. (Edmund) Gann and Mr. (Morley) Engelson bought a lot of horses and Juddmonte Farm was the icing on the cake.”

To Frankel, it’s a wonder Mashkour is still around. He became very sick in 1989 after undergoing an operation to have a testicle removed.

“When I say he was sick, I mean he was blue,” said the trainer. “He was out about a year. It was a reaction to the surgery. He got colitis--real sick.”

River Warden, who beat Mashkour in the San Marino Handicap on the main track March 6, had to alter course in midstretch. The maneuver cost him a stride or two and might have made the difference.

“I followed the winner the whole race and had to wait just a little longer in the stretch,” said Jose Santos. “I think he would have beaten us anyway, but it would have been real close.”

Aksar, part of the Bruce Jackson-trained entry along with Valdali, was third, a little more than a length behind River Warden, and a neck in front of El Senor. Star Standing, one of two fillies in the race, was fifth, then came Valdali, Pleasant Variety, Live The Dream, Intelligently, Peinture Bleue and Royal Reach, who showed the way for 1 1/2 miles.

Chris Antley, who rode Star Standing, felt he was on the best horse.

“She stumbled twice leaving the gate,” he said. “I didn’t want to be that far back. The way they all bunched up in the stretch, I had no chance. I either had to try and get through or go 15 wide. You’ve got to be there by the quarter pole or you don’t have a chance. She was running best of all at the end.”

Rafael Meza, who broke his left arm in a spill Friday, will be released from Centinela Hospital Medical Center today and will be sidelined at least a month.

A plate and two screws were implanted in Meza’s arm Saturday. He also had to have stitches to his right arm, which was lacerated when the rider was kicked by another horse. Meza was thrown when his mount, Sweet River Rose, broke down at the top of the stretch.

Alex Solis is expected to be back for the start of the Hollywood Park meeting Wednesday. He suffered a badly bruised left knee when he lost his iron on Lady Kite in the eighth race and he also bruised a foot the day before when he struck the rail.

Apollo, who has never lost sprinting, and Letthebighossroll, who is perfect in three starts, head a field of five in the $80,050 Harry Henson Stakes, the opening-day feature at Hollywood Park. The other three starters are What A Spell, Media Plan and Doc Of The Day.

Jockey Frank Alvarado, who was disqualified from third to fourth aboard Coastal Voyage in Saturday’s San Simeon Handicap, was suspended for five days, beginning Thursday.

Pete Valenti, one of the owners of Valiant Pete, the winner of Saturday’s $100,000 match race, said he will donate $5,000 to Children’s Hospital of Orange and $2,500 to the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund.

With Aksar and Intelligently having run in the San Juan Capistrano, there will be only four participants in today’s closing-day feature, the San Jacinto Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on turf. The four remaining starters are Missionary Ridge, Tartas, Hecquet and The Medic.

Leading trainer Bill Spawr had two more winners Sunday, giving him 36 for the meeting.