OAK TREE AT SANTA ANITA : The Goodwood Proves Elixir for Bertrando

Don’t write off Bertrando yet.

Reunited with rider Gary Stevens, the 5-year-old Skywalker horse ran off to a clear lead, looked finished when passed by Dramatic Gold and Tossofthecoin, then came back to win Oak Tree’s $214,400 Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Buried by Holy Bull in the Woodward Handicap on Sept. 17, a little more than a month after being beaten by 34 lengths in the Pacific Classic, Bertrando bounced back to his best form.

In winning for the fourth time in nine starts at Santa Anita, the 7-2 third choice might have earned a third shot at success in the Breeders’ Cup. Second to Arazi in the 1991 Juvenile and second to 133-1 shot Arcangues in last year’s Classic, Bertrando is a possibility for the $3-million Classic.

He would have to be supplemented for $360,000 and co-owner and breeder Ed Nahem said he will discuss the matter with Marshall Naify, the Cal-bred’s other owner.

“It’s nice to be vindicated,” Nahem said. “Everybody had this horse all dead and buried. In that one race with all the speed (the Pacific Classic), no horse would have stuck around, and in New York, it was a drying out kind of track and he really didn’t get a hold of it right.”

Now a winner of nine of 20 starts, Bertrando finished a neck in front of 7-5 favorite Dramatic Gold in a stakes record 1:46 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on a dry, windy afternoon. Tossofthecoin, the longest shot in the field at 20-1, was a length back in third. His rider, Alex Solis, claimed foul against Stevens and Corey Nakatani, Dramatic Gold’s rider, for alleged interference in the stretch, but it was quickly dismissed by the stewards.

Riding the horse for the first time since the loss to Arcangues, Stevens said it was like old times.

“He’s the same old Bertrando, a lot of heart, a lot of determination,” Stevens said. “He’s really an easy horse to ride. I just let him do his thing. He rates himself and when he feels the pressure, he puts on the afterburners. Today, he felt no different than the horse I rode last year. He was just super, super impressive.”

Favored on the strength of recent improvement and a victory in the Molson Million a month earlier at Woodbine, Dramatic Gold appeared home free approaching the stretch. Nakatani was sitting still on the 3-year-old Slew O’ Gold gelding and he had moved up on the outside as though he was going to cruise on past.

Dramatic Gold did get the lead, but he couldn’t hold on, suggesting the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Breeders’ Cup Classic won’t help his cause.

“He ran great, but I probably waited too long to go to Bertrando,” Nakatani said. “I know I’m on a better horse than Bertrando. It was a matter of circumstances today. The track hasn’t been playing speed all day, and since he’d be going 1 1/4 miles in his next race (the Classic), I tried to see if my horse might wait a little longer (to make his move).”

Lykatill Hil, the 5-2 second choice, was beaten by nearly nine lengths in finishing fourth. Stuka was fifth, a head in front of Fastness, who ran last in his main track debut.

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Exchange might not be the only member of the Bill Spawr stable to participate in the Breeders’ Cup.

Saratoga Gambler might also be headed to Churchill Downs after his three-length victory in the $107,500 Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Saturday. The longest shot in the field, he paid $71.40 while completing the six furlongs in 1:08 2/5.

Uncaged Fury was second, a neck in front of 3-1 favorite Concept Win, who had a bad start. Defending Ancient Title and Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Cardmania rallied to finish fourth in his first start since he suffered a broken cannon bone in February.

This was the first stakes victory for the 6-year-old Saratoga Six gelding and his first victory since he was claimed for $100,000 by Spawr for owner Ken Porter on Feb. 27.

Laid off since he finished second as the favorite in the Arapahoe Sprint at Arapahoe Park in Colorado, Saratoga Gambler drew away in the final sixteenth under Martin Pedroza.

“I’ll talk to Ken (Porter) about (the Breeders’ Cup),” Spawr said. “He had to run real good today to make us do it. He ran very well, so we’ll talk about it and see if he has enough (eligibility) points (to get into the field).

“Nobody wanted to ride him (today). He was 34-1, but we felt confident that he could run well, but I’m surprised that he won the way he did.”

Horse Racing Notes

Corrazona is the 4-5 morning-line favorite against five rivals in the $100,000 Las Palmas Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf, one of two stakes on today’s card. Laffit Pincay Jr. will ride her for trainer Richard Mandella, and he will also be aboard 6-5 favorite Journalism in the $100,000 Col F.W. Koester Handicap at one mile on grass. . . . Santa Anita will offer simulcast wagering on the $300,000 Spinster Stakes from Keeneland between the second and third races. Among those entered in the 1 1/8-mile race are Miss Dominique, Phone Chatter, who will be ridden by Nakatani, and Twice The Vice.