SANTA ANITA : Wandesta Wins Santa Barbara by Two Lengths

When it comes to the female turf division, trainer Bobby Frankel has to feel comfortable with his position.

Wandesta, who made it two Grade I victories in a row with a decisive effort in the $216,400 Santa Barbara Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita, and Possibly Perfect, who won stylishly in her comeback a week earlier, make for a potent combination.

In a performance reminiscent of her two-length victory in the Santa Ana Handicap three weeks earlier, Wandesta, the 11-10 favorite, saved ground behind a slow pace under Corey Nakatani, angled to the outside entering the stretch and went on to her fourth victory in nine starts. The 4-year-old Nashwan filly covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01 3/5.

Yearly Tour, who was second in the Santa Ana, was second again Sunday, two lengths behind Wandesta and a nose in front of an unlucky Morgana, who had a troubled trip. With clear sailing, Morgana might have been able to give the winner competition.

Aube Indienne, the beaten favorite in her 1995 debut in the Santa Ana, flopped again Sunday. Extremely tired after running third on March 18, the 5-year-old Bluebird mare tried to rally with Wandesta Sunday, but got carried wide by a tiring Comply and struggled home sixth in the field of eight at 5-2 odds.

This was the second consecutive Santa Barbara victory for Frankel, who won last year with Possibly Perfect, who will return in the Santa Anita Budweiser Breeders’ Cup on Sunday.

“The only concern (Sunday) was the outside post,” said Frankel, who has 16 winners from 51 starts at Santa Anita this meeting. “(Nakatani) got good position leaving the gate. You break on the outside, then they come down the hill, you can be four or five wide or somebody can bolt in front of you. There’s always something that can happen coming off the hill like that, especially going 1 1/4 miles.

“You’ve got to give a little credit to the filly that finished third (Morgana). She was in trouble and who knows what would have happened if she had gotten loose.”

Wandesta, who has won three in a row since returning to the races on Feb. 19, didn’t have the cleanest of takeoffs.

“After she was loaded, an assistant (starter) grabbed her, then the gates opened and she really broke in,” said Nakatani, who won three times Sunday and is tied with Kent Desormeaux atop the jockey standings. They each have 96 victories with 12 days left in the meeting.

“I wanted to be close to the pace because I figured it would be slow, but this put her further back than I really wanted. Then, I let her pick it up a little bit and I had a pretty good trip overall. I got her outside as we turned for home and she really kicked on.”

The 9-2 third choice after an impressive victory in her American debut on March 16, Morgana was part of what wasn’t Eddie Delahoussaye’s luckiest day. Two races before, he had been disqualified in a borderline call on favored Shoshana and placed second.

“We just had a little bad luck through the stretch,” Delahoussaye said. “I was trapped. I couldn’t get out. I was hoping (Chris) McCarron (on Yearly Tour) would stay out, but he dropped in. Everything didn’t unfold right for me.

“Getting trapped obviously cost me second, and I think she could have made it close for first because she really cut once she got clear. I think it would have been a good horse race between me and the winner, but that’s racing.”

Kent Desormeaux had no excuse for Aube Indienne.

“I’m at a loss for an explanation,” he said. “Maybe she just had a bad hair day.”

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G Malleah, a 4-year-old bred in Arizona, set a world record for six furlongs Saturday at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, running the distance in 1:06 3/5.

The old mark of 1:06 4/5 was shared by Zany Tactics (1987) and Honor The Hero (1993) and also was set at Turf Paradise.

Ridden by Joey Castro and trained by Frank Covello, G Malleah won the $27,300 Grand Canyon Handicap by five lengths in his record-setting effort.

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Trainer Mark MacDonald, who had one victory from 14 starters at the Santa Anita meeting, is returning to his native Canada to work as a jockey’s agent.

MacDonald, who turned over his horses to brother Brad, will have two riders at Hastings Park in Vancouver--Robbie King, Jr. and Larry Lacoursiere.

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Jockey Alex Solis, who ended a meeting-long grass slump with a victory on Marina Park in Saturday’s Las Cienegas Breeders’ Cup Handicap, began a five-day suspension Sunday.

The suspension originally had been given to Solis last summer at Del Mar when he was disqualified aboard La Frontera, but he had appealed the suspension to the California Horse Racing Board.

A hearing officer recommended the suspension be overturned, but the CHRB didn’t agree. Solis then gained a temporary restraining order against the suspension, taking the appeal to Los Angeles Superior Court. A judge sided with the CHRB, so Solis will serve the days. He’ll return on Saturday.

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Another Derby victory could be in trainer Craig Lewis’ future.

Bee El Tee, who has astounded Lewis with his improvement, is among those scheduled to compete in the $200,000 California Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate.

After finishing far back in his debut against maiden claimers, Bee El Tee, who is a half-brother to the hard-knocking grass performer Certam De May, has won two races, including an upset of allowance rivals in his first grass start at Santa Anita.

A large field is likely for the Derby, which will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Others scheduled to run are Mr Purple, Alletasso, Fine ‘n Majestic, Awesome Thought, Funny Tale, Mahryebo, No Fantasy, Slewker, Raji and Trophy Time.