SANTA ANITA : Bien Bien Wins San Marcos; the Big ‘Cap Might Be Next Try

Trudy McCaffery, who owns Bien Bien along with John Toffan, got her wish Saturday afternoon.

“Bien Biens don’t come around very often,” she said. “Every time they come to the racetrack, you hope they go out and do what they are supposed to do.

“I was just hoping he’d have a nice time out there and not get pushed around.”

Taking advantage of a field that didn’t include Kotashaan or Star Of Cozzene, the 1-2 favorite was a success in his first start of 1994.

With Laffit Pincay riding for the suspended Chris McCarron, the 5-year-old Manila horse took charge from 3-1 second choice Explosive Red in the final sixteenth to win the $132,100 San Marcos Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths. Bien Bien completed the 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:00 2/5.

“He ran a great race, but then he’s a great horse,” Pincay said. “I was a little concerned, though, coming down the stretch. Corey Black (on Myrakalu) got through when (Robber Ramble) drifted out, and I thought he had a good chance because he was saving ground most of the way and he had a fresh horse.

“But I had a fresh horse, too, and when I set him down, he just shot through there.”

Explosive Red, content to track overmatched pacesetter Robber Ramble for most of the way, got the lead in the stretch, but couldn’t hold off the 122-pound high weight approaching the wire. Explosive Red finished a length in front of Myrakalu, then came Navire, Fanatic Boy and Robber Ramble.

“He never looked like he was in trouble and if he gets that close at the quarter pole, you know he’s going to finish strong,” Toffan said.

The Santa Anita Handicap on March 6 or the San Luis Obispo on Feb. 21 are both possibilities for Bien Bien’s next race. The former is on the dirt, a surface over which he has only one victory in seven starts.

“(Trainer Paco Gonzalez) would like to try him once more on the dirt and so would I, just to see what he can do,” Toffan said. “He likes this track, and I think he would run well.”

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Remaining unbeaten against fillies other than Sardula and Phone Chatter, Tricky Code held on to defeat Fancy ‘N Fabulous by a nose in the $104,575 Santa Ynez Breeders’ Cup Stakes.

Winning for the fourth time in seven starts, the 3-year-old Lost Code filly completed the seven furlongs in 1:22 under Corey Nakatani. Owned by Jeff Kallenberg and trained by Gary Jones, the 8-5 second choice has lost only in the Oak Leaf, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Hollywood Starlet.

Always close to the lead, Tricky Code discouraged a bid from Sophisticatedcielo, who was coupled with Noassemblyrequired as the 7-10 favorite, then barely held off the maiden Fancy ‘N Fabulous.

“She’s just a trier,” Jones said. “She really gives you all she’s got every time she runs.

“I freshened her up after her last race (the Starlet on Dec. 18). I was afraid she was a little short today and she darn near got beat. She only had four works since her last race, but she ran well and she ran game and Corey rode her perfect.”

Sophisticatedcielo finished third, a half-length behind Fancy ‘N Fabulous. Noassemblyrequired, who won the Pasadena Stakes by 5 1/2 lengths last month, was 3 1/2 lengths back in fourth. Bayou Plans, the Santa Ynez longshot at 12-1, finished last after setting the pace for a half-mile.

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Wild Harmony, narrow winner of the Hollywood Turf Express in his last start on Nov. 20, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite for $107,100 Palos Verdes Handicap today.

Unable to get into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, the 5-year-old Wild Again horse finished 1993 with five victories in nine starts and has won three of six at Santa Anita. With McCarron absent, Eddie Delahoussaye will ride Wild Harmony.

Concept Win, second to Diazo in the opening-day Malibu Stakes, is the 2-1 second morning-line choice and J.F. Williams, who ended a nearly 14-month losing streak, is the 5-2 third choice in the field of six.

The other three entrants in the six-furlong Palos Verdes are Davy Be Good, fourth in the San Carlos, Scherando, second to J.F. Williams as the 4-5 favorite on Jan. 12, and Excavate.

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Loon’s Cry, a 4-year-old making his first start, led wire to wire in the $65,175 Debonaire Junior on Saturday.

Owned by Mrs. Georgia Ridder and trained by David Hofmans, the gelded son of Lear Fan out of the stakes-winning mare Winter Solstice beat favored Crackerjax Max by a half-length in 1:21 3/5 for the seven furlongs under Corey Black.

Horse Racing Notes

Only Alpha, who broke down during Friday’s eighth race, had to be destroyed. The 4-year-old son of Alphabatim suffered a broken right foreleg. . . . Numerous, a $1.7-million yearling and one of two promising 3-year-olds in the Charlie Whittingham barn, will make his first start of the year in the third race today. The Mr. Prospector offspring has four opponents in the 1 1/16-mile allowance race, and he is the even-money morning-line favorite.

Have Fun looks like a threat for the Santa Anita Handicap based on his recent improvement. The 5-year-old Topsider horse is perfect in two starts since being treated with Lasix with a three-length victory over Slerp in the seventh race. He covered the 1 1/16 miles under Corey Nakatani in a fast 1:40 4/5.