Santa Ana Handicap Is Won by Exchange

Exchange ran one of her most gritty races Saturday, stalking the pace early and holding off two challengers at the end for a three-quarter-length victory in the $157,200 Santa Ana Handicap at Santa Anita.

Party Cited finished second, a half-length in front of Villandry. Marble Maiden, the 3-2 favorite, finished last in a field that was reduced to five with the scratch of Sun And Shade because of a bruised foot.

Running 1 1/8 miles on grass in 1:46 1/5, Exchange paid $5.40 as the second choice and earned $89,700 for owner Sidney Craig, increasing her total to $646,275.

Exchange gave trainer Bill Spawr his first major victory.

“After she got the lead, she was just waiting on other horses,” jockey Laffit Pincay said of Exchange. “If she had kept running, she would have won by four or five lengths.”

Spawr plans to run Exchange in the $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap on April 4.