SANTA ANITA : Race The Wild Wind Defeats Paseana in Santa Maria ‘Cap

Even though Eclipse Award winner Paseana was beaten in her first start of the year, things could not have worked out much better for Ron McAnally.

Race The Wild Wind, the trainer’s other entrant in the $158,000 Santa Maria Handicap, led all of the way under Kent Desormeaux, beating her stablemate and four other mares.

Providing Desormeaux with his fourth victory on his first day back after a suspension, the 4-year-old Sunny’s Halo filly won by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:41 1/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Paseana, who won seven of nine starts last year, was making her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Oct. 31. Sid and Jenny Craig’s 6-year-old, who carried 126 pounds Saturday, is expected to be much fitter when she tries to defend her title in the Santa Margarita on Feb. 28.

Owned by Brandon and Marianne Chase, Race The Wild Wind ended a five-race losing streak. She was second to Arches Of Gold in the seven-furlong La Brea on Dec. 27.

Ridden by Desormeaux for the first time, she made the lead without pressure, set moderate fractions and won with something in reserve.

“She ran real well last time behind one of the best sprinting fillies around,” McAnally said. “I felt she’d have an easy lead today and Paseana had to carry 126 pounds in her first start of the year.

“I’m pleased with Paseana’s effort. I think she got quite a bit out of (the race). It should set her up well for the Santa Margarita. I expect she’ll get some weight off in her next start.

“The racing secretaries have us at their mercy this time of year. You can’t go to Florida or Arkansas, because the purses aren’t right. Weight on horses at this time of the year is critical.”

Race The Wild Wind almost spent her weekend elsewhere. At one point, it appeared she would run in the Lafayette Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Golden Gate today instead of the Santa Maria.

Her owners chose to stay at Santa Anita and the result was the filly’s first Grade I victory.

“She was aggressive,” Desormeaux said. “She wasn’t running off, she was showing me she was there underneath me. When I got to the half-mile pole, I just kind of gave her her head. She just kind of put me in the back seat, took hold and threw her ears up to look at the gate and I knew she was pretty much gone from there. She was tremendous.”

Chris McCarron had no complaints about Paseana’s effort.

“She may have needed the race, I don’t know,” he said of the 3-5 favorite. “That’s for them to determine an hour after the race. They know better about how tired a horse got. In the race, she felt super.

“She just got outrun. I’d like to think the race did her a lot of good. I had dead aim on the other filly. I thought I had her, but she just didn’t stop today.”

Winner of five in a row, Southern Truce was third, beaten by 3 1/2 lengths. She was 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Lite Light; Re Toss and Ms. Aerosmith completed the order of finish.

“I still thought she had a shot at the top of the stretch, but when I dropped her to the inside, she got a little bit intimidated by the winner,” Corey Nakatani said of Southern Truce. “She belongs with these fillies and mares. She tries so hard that you can’t be upset with her.”

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Mountain Cat, who earned more than $1.45 million last year, will make his California debut in the $110,600 San Vicente Breeders’ Cup Stakes, which will be run before the Strub.

Trained by Wayne Lukas, the 3-year-old Storm Cat colt won six of eight in 1992 and his four-race Kentucky sweep earned him $1 million. McCarron has the mount on Mountain Cat, who hasn’t started since finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The likely favorite for the seven-furlong San Vicente is Denmars Dream, a seven-length winner of the San Miguel last month. Other entrants are Joyofracing, Devoted Brass, Gavel Gate, Lord Of The Bay, Mr. Bonds, Rio De La Plata and Yappy.

Horse Racing Notes

Kent Desormeaux also won with Cajmeluv and two horses for trainer Bob Hess, Nat’s Sallie and Red X. . . . This wasn’t the first time Desormeaux won a Grade I with a horse formerly ridden by Chris McCarron. Last fall, he won the Yellow Ribbon on Super Staff, beating Flawlessly and McCarron. . . . Jockey Corey Nakatani won Saturday with Auriga and Darling Sola. . . . Race The Wild Wind, who carried 117 pounds, paid $7.40 as the 5-2 second choice. She has now won five of 13 starts.