Santa Anita Handicap Beckons After Cigar Wins 13th in a Row

The way Cigar won the $300,000 Donn Handicap Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., in his 1996 debut, 130 pounds looks about right for him in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 2.

Picking up where he left off, 1995’s Horse of the Year made it 13 consecutive victories while winning his first race since the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 28.

Carrying 128 pounds, the largest impost of his 26-race career which now includes 15 victories, Cigar didn’t have to break a sweat in beating stablemate Wekiva Springs by two lengths in 1:49 for the 1 1/8 miles.

In a little tight going into the first turn after breaking from the rail, the 6-year-old Palace Music horse got to the outside on the backstretch, moved to the lead with about three-eighths to go and cruised home.

Wekiva Springs, who moved to Bill Mott’s barn in the middle of last year, finished four lengths clear of Heavenly Prize.

“Provided he comes back good and sound and wants to do it again, that [the Santa Anita Handicap] is where we’re going,” Mott said. “He was ready to go today. He hadn’t been to the paddock since the Breeders’ Cup, but he knew what he had to do and he did his job.

“He won pretty easily. I could play all those games with the handicappers, but they’re not blind. Eventually, [weight] will make a difference if there is enough of a spread. Nothing Cigar does surprises me.”

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A little more than three weeks after their first meeting in the San Miguel Stakes, Afleetaffair turned the tables on heavily favored Honour And Glory to win the $103,850 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

Beaten by two lengths in the six-furlong San Miguel, Afleetaffair took advantage of a seven-pound weight difference and a speed duel to beat the 3-10 choice by a nose in 1:22 1/5 for the seven furlongs.

Content to sit third early while Honour And Glory was busy with Odin’s Primo through a 44 3/5 half-mile, Afleetaffair--the 7-2 second choice--came off the rail in the stretch and got up to win for the fourth time in six starts for owner Ted Aroney and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Also looking for his fourth victory in his sixth start, Honour And Glory finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of 25-1 shot Ready To Order and tried to come back on after being passed by the winner.

Trainer Wayne Lukas said Honour And Glory will stretch out to a mile in the San Rafael Stakes on March 2. Hollendorfer is uncertain about Afleetaffair’s next race.

Great Treasure finished fourth in the San Vicente and Odin’s Primo was last.

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Jewel Princess will try to give trainer Wally Dollase his sixth stakes victory of the Santa Anita meeting when she takes on five other 4-year-old fillies in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes this afternoon.

The 5-2 second choice when winning the El Encino Stakes last month, Jewel Princess is the 7-5 morning line favorite to win for the eighth time in 15 starts.

Beaten at 7-10 odds in her last two starts in the Bayakoa and El Encino, Urbane is the 8-5 second choice today and will have a new rider in Chris Antley.

Trainer Randy Bradshaw and Samantha Siegel, who owns Urbane with her parents Jan and Mace Siegel, were upset with Corey Nakatani’s ride in the El Encino, saying he didn’t follow instructions.

So, the move to Antley is hardly a shock and the Citidancer filly, no doubt, will be sent from the gate. It is also possible that she simply isn’t as good as she was early last year when she was battling with Serena’s Song.

Trainer Bobby Frankel will send out the entry of Sleep Easy, who was second in the El Encino, and Privity, a much-troubled fourth in the Hollywood Turf Cup. Privity will be making her first start on dirt in the 1 1/8-mile La Canada. Dixie Pearl and Sharp Point complete the field.