SANTA ANITA : Star Of Cozzene Earns Vacation With Victory in the San Marcos

After his latest victory, in the $133,900 San Marcos Handicap, Star Of Cozzene will be rested through February.

Certainly, the break is deserved. Since returning to California late last year, the 5-year-old son of Cozzene is unbeaten. His one-length victory over 12-1 shot Kotashaan in the San Marcos Handicap was his fourth in a row.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, the 11-10 favorite sat several lengths off the pace early, moved up while wide around the turn, then took charge in the final eighth of a mile to win in 2:01 3/5 for the 1 1/4 miles over a turf course labeled good.

Kotashaan, who hadn’t shown much in two comeback races before the San Marcos, improved for Kent Desormeaux and finished two lengths in front of pacesetter Carnival Baby.

Bien Bien, the 5-2 second choice making his first start since winning the Hollywood Turf Cup on a disqualification, was fourth, then came The Name’s Jimmy, Bistro Garden and Fax News.

“I didn’t give Gary any instructions,” said Star Of Cozzene’s trainer, Mark Hennig. “He knows the horse. I was concerned about the 1 1/4 miles, but the start downhill helped.

“He ran well. I think we’ll back off just a little bit. It’s a long year and I don’t want to get carried away. If there was any time to run him 1 1/4 miles, it was now, when he’s at the top of his game.”

Stevens agrees a flat mile is Star Of Cozzene’s best distance, but he was again impressed by the colt, who is owned by Jeff Siegel and Barry Irwin’s Team Valor, Jerome Amerman and Ken Porter.

“I have a lot of confidence in this horse,” said Stevens, who won three times Saturday to increase his lead in the jockey standings. “I don’t care where I am in the early part of the race with him, I just want to be within five lengths at the quarter pole because there’s not many horses who can finish with him. Mark’s done such a great job getting this horse relaxed.”

Chris McCarron, who rode Bien Bien, wasn’t happy with his own performance in the race.

“Don’t blame the horse, it was my fault,” McCarron said. “It was very poor judgment on the rider’s part. The rider rode a very bad race.

“For the first (six furlongs) I was trying to make up my mind what to do and I made a very poor decision. I cost my horse a placing because of it. I should have let him go on, he was pulling hard. He was wanting to run early today, and I should have let him.”

Making his first start since May 9, Best Pal is the 6-5 morning-line favorite against seven rivals in today’s $159,600 San Pasqual Handicap.

Trainer Gary Jones has said the 5-year-old Habitony gelding won’t be at his best in the 1 1/16-mile San Pasqual, which will be Best Pal’s prep for a defense of his Santa Anita Handicap title in March.

Desormeaux will take his usual place atop Best Pal, who won four of five starts last year before being injured. He will carry 124 pounds, spotting his opponents from six to 11 pounds.

Jovial, who won for the first time since 1990 on New Year’s Day, is the 3-1 second choice. No better than fourth in his eight previous starts, the 6-year-old Northern Jove horse regained his best form with a 4 1/2-length victory over Memo and three others. Mickey Walls will again ride for trainer Bruce Jackson.

Marquetry, who was scratched from the San Marcos, is the 4-1 third choice and will race coupled in the betting with Berillon. Eddie Delahoussaye has the mount on Marquetry, and Corey Nakatani will ride Berillon.

The other entrants in the San Pasqual are Excavate, Memo, Reign Road and Provins.

The locale and distance was different, but the result was a repeat of the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes three weeks earlier.

El Atroz, a 43-1 shot, beat Offshore Pirate in the seven-furlong California Breeders’ on Jan. 3 at Santa Anita, and Saturday, the 3-year-old Timeless Native did it again in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows.

Ahead of only two horses after six furlongs, El Atroz rallied to win by a length over the muddy track under Rafael Meza and paid $23. The time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43 3/5.

Offshore Pirate, the 7-2 second choice, was 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Lykatill Hil, the 4-5 favorite, who was going for his third consecutive stakes victory at Bay Meadows.

Trained by Jose Silva, El Atroz has won four of his eight starts, but he had run poorly in his only other start on an off track. He finished last in the Cardiff Stud Handicap on Dec. 13, beaten by 15 1/2 lengths by Lykatill Hil.

“I’ve been telling everyone this is a very good colt and they had him to beat today,” Silva said. “I think Rafael made a winning move when he dropped to the rail on the last turn and found room.

“When he got beat by 15 lengths by Lykatill Hil in his last race here, he wasn’t right. He wasn’t ready for that race. I just threw the race out and sent him to Santa Anita for his win there. He proved me right today.”

Horse Racing Notes

Beginning Wednesday, Santa Anita will add a $2 exacta on the first race, meaning that every race will have exacta wagering. . . . Gary Stevens also won on Siam Ruler, who finished in a dead heat with Bear’s Pizazz in the ninth, and on favored Suivi in the fourth. Riding Suivi for the first time, Stevens was extremely impressed. “She’s awesome,” he said. “I had seen her run, but I had no idea what I was getting on. I think she could beat that kind,” he said, referring to Kostroma and Flawlessly. . . . On a mandatory payout day in the Pick Nine, there were no perfect tickets. There were two tickets with eight winners and each was worth $197,578.40.