SANTA ANITA : Semillon Surges From Last, Wins San Marino Handicap

Mike Mitchell recently called Semillon the best horse he has ever trained, and the colt did nothing to change that assessment at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The 3-2 favorite in the $82,200 San Marino Handicap, Semillon trailed his six rivals for most of the 1 1/4 miles, then surged to win going away under Eddie Delahoussaye.

Remaining unbeaten in three American starts for owner Lady White, the 4-year-old son of Rousillon won by 2 1/4 lengths in 2:00 3/5 and he now looks ready to tackle Bien Bien and Fanmore in the San Luis Rey and/or San Juan Capistrano.

Semillon had to survive a stewards’ inquiry for an alleged incident in the stretch, but no change was made. Memento Mori, who was running in a $6,250 starter handicap race as recently as last September, finished second, a nose in front of Alex The Great.

Itsallgreektome, making his second start after being away for 14 months, finished last as the 2-1 second choice.

“He really showed me he was a good horse today,” Delahoussaye said. “They said in Europe that he couldn’t go 1 1/4 miles--he only ran a mile--but the way he ran today, he could be any kind of horse.

“He got wiped out at the start, but if we had been five lengths closer, he would have kicked on anyway because he is very relaxed. He came from last on a course where horses haven’t been doing that.

“The way he accelerated the last quarter mile after that bad start and slow pace (1:11 2/5 for six furlongs), he showed me he could be a top horse.”

Mitchell, primarily a claiming trainer who had stakes success with Johnny’s Image, Distant Ryder and Speedratic, says Semillon is getting better each day.

“He’s so good right now it scares me,” he said. “We’re going to have to sit down with the owners and figure out our next plan.”

Second in his comeback race on Jan. 17, Itsallgreektome was well positioned throughout by Kent Desormeaux, but when it became apparent he was beaten, Desormeaux virtually eased the 7-year-old gelding late in the stretch. He wound up about 18 lengths behind the winner.

“He felt great on the track,” said Desormeaux. “He absolutely galloped around there, but I just think it wasn’t his day. Maybe it was something he couldn’t tell us, but I can say from a rider’s standpoint that the horse is absolutely sound.”

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Inactive since winning the Yellow Ribbon Invitational as a 16-1 shot last November, Possibly Perfect is the 2-1 favorite for the $112,300 Buena Vista Handicap today.

Trained by Bobby Frankel, the 4-year-old Northern Baby filly has won four of six since arriving from France. In her two defeats, Possibly Perfect was second to Hollywood Wildcat in the Del Mar Oaks and was third behind Tribulation and Miami Sands in the Queen Elizabeth at Keeneland.

Desormeaux will ride Possibly Perfect, who worked seven furlongs in 1:25 1/5 on Feb. 19 preparing for the one-mile Buena Vista.

From the rail out, the rest of the field includes San Gorgonio Handicap winner Hero’s Love, Zoonaqua, Pracer, Gumpher, Skimble, who is also trained by Frankel, Vinista and Lady Blessington. Waitryst was scratched Saturday morning.

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Bien Bien, the beaten favorite in the San Luis Obispo Handicap last Monday, might run in the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday.

Owners John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery and trainer Paco Gonzalez are considering running the Manila horse in the 1 1/4-mile race, which might attract as many as 11 starters. Bien Bien would be switching to the dirt in the Big ‘Cap and he has not been very effective on that surface, winning only once in eight starts.

“We’re serious about running,” Gonzalez said. “If the weights are right, and if he doesn’t draw an inside post position, then I think he’ll run.

“He came out of (the San Luis Obispo) really good and he’s training very well on dirt. I really think there is a good chance he’s going to run.”

The probable starters in the Santa Anita Handicap are Kissin Kris, The Wicked North, Region, Nonproductiveasset, Diazo, Myrakalu, Stuka and Hill Pass. Other possibles beside Bien Bien are Megan’s Interco and Slew Of Damascus.

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Paseana will carry high weight of 123 pounds when she tries for her second victory in the Santa Margarita a week from today.

Beaten by a nose by Supah Gem in the Santa Maria in her first start of 1994, Paseana will be spotting four pounds to La Canada winner Stalcreek, 10 to Sensational Eyes and eight to Alysbelle, who was a nose behind Paseana in the Santa Maria.

Horse Racing Notes

The Santa Anita Handicap will be televised by ABC. It will be shown live in the East and delayed locally. . . . Fly’n J. Bryan, unbeaten in two sprints, will run in the San Rafael Stakes a week from today rather than ship to Oaklawn Park for the Southwest Stakes six days later. . . . Jockeys Eddie Delahoussaye and Kent Desormeaux each won twice Saturday.