With Cigar Out, Big ‘Cap Field Is Biggest Since ’86

Cigar is definitely out of the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap and just about everybody else seems to be in.

Trainer Bill Mott made the inevitable official Saturday when he said 1995’s horse of the year won’t be coming to California. Cigar is recovering from a stone bruise on his right front foot and hasn’t been to the track since Tuesday.

“He walked for 35 minutes [Saturday morning] and he does seem to be a little tender on [his foot], but he’s 90% improved,” said Mott, who removed an abscess from the foot Thursday afternoon. “He’s not 100% yet, but well on his way.

“He’ll go back to the track by Wednesday or Thursday--at the earliest. It’s too late [for the Big ‘Cap]. We missed too much training. With one week of training lost, I still think he can make the Dubai race [the $4-million World Cup on March 27].

“There are going to be a lot of disappointed people [in California] and I’m sure [owner Allen Paulson] is one of them. He’s very proud of him and likes to show him off.”

The Grade I Santa Anita Handicap is likely to have 12 starters, its biggest field since Greinton beat a dozen others in 1986.

The probable starters are Afternoon Deelites, Alphabet Soup, Cezind, Serena’s Song, Helmsman, Just Java, Luthier Fever, Dare And Go, Mr Purple, The Key Rainbow, Score Quick and last year’s winner, Urgent Request.

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Igotrhythm made it two consecutive victories and six in 11 career starts with a two-length win over Miss L Attack and five other fillies and mares in the $131,100 Las Flores Handicap Saturday at Santa Anita.

A 9-10 favorite under Corey Nakatani, the 4-year-old relaxed just off the pace from her outside post, took the lead with about half a mile to run and completed the six furlongs in 1:08 4/5.

“She tries hard and she’d done well since her last race,” trainer Bobby Frankel said. “When we bought her [in 1994], we had to operate on both knees to take out chips. She’s come back very well.”

Miss L Attack, who has been first or second in 16 of her 23 starts, finished 4 1/2 lengths clear of Little Blue Sheep. Borodislew, making her first start since being well-beaten in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, finished sixth as the 3-1 second choice.

“She felt fine on the track, but she just didn’t fire today,” jockey Chris McCarron said. “I’m disappointed.”

Nakatani wasn’t unhappy with the winner, who may try two turns again sometime in the near future.

“She tries every time she goes out there, runs a tough race,” Nakatani said. “The track has been playing a little bit off-the-pace today--speed wasn’t sticking--so I thought when it came down to the running, we would test them at the quarter-pole, then she showed them what she’s made of.”

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Frankel sends out the entry of Hidden Source and Opera Score today in the $75,000 San Marino Handicap at 1 1/4 miles. Owned by Juddmonte Farms, the coupling is the 3-1 choice in the restricted race. Through the first 45 days of the meeting, Frankel has eight victories, three seconds and four thirds from 18 grass starters. Parme is the 4-1 second choice in the San Marino, which is down to 10 starters after Felon and Swiss Mirage were scratched Saturday.

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Horse Racing Notes

Inner City, trained by Gary Jones and ridden by Adalberto Lopez, won the $100,000 Tanforan Handicap at Bay Meadows Saturday, beating favored Patio De Naranjos on a yielding turf course. . . . Hennessy will be out for possibly two months after bruising his right front foot. The runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hasn’t raced since he lost as the favorite in the Hollywood Futurity in December. . . . Laffit Pincay will be at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana today to ride E.C.’s Dream for trainer Bill Spawr in the Risen Star Stakes. . . . Nakatani continues atop the jockey standings with 47 victories, 10 more than Gary Stevens.