Abaginone Exploits Speed Advantage

What a difference a scratch makes.

With Track Gal in the $202,400 Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap, the late-running Lit De Justice looked like the horse to beat.

When she was scratched in favor of another race on Wednesday, Abaginone became the only speed horse in the Grade III sprint and he took full advantage of it.

Sent off the 6-5 favorite, the oft-sidelined son of Devil’s Bag quickly went to the front under Gary Stevens, then cruised to a six-length victory in 1:14 2/5 for the 6 1/2 furlongs.

Unwilling to load into the starting gate and at the mercy of the pace, Lit De Justice was a disappointing fourth as the 9-5 second choice. Dramatic Gold, a 7-1 shot, was second, half a length in front of Kingdom Found.

Bothered by shin problems throughout his now eight-race career, Abaginone is healthy now. The win Saturday for owners Ron Charles and Clear Valley Stables and trainer Sandy Shulman was the sixth for the 5-year-old.

“Track Gal scratching gave me an awful good feeling,” Shulman said. “Not to be overconfident, but when you let him go 22 and change [22 1/5] and 44 4/5 [for the half-mile], he’s going to be tough to overhaul. Gary did a tremendous job of relaxing him during the race.

“He’s OK health-wise right now, but it’s always week-to-week with him.”

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Back doing what she does best--sprinting--Raw Gold broke like a shot, dropped back a bit while Sheza Valentine and 13-10 favorite Miraloma battled early, then took over entering the stretch in winning the $104,200 Santa Paula Stakes by five lengths. She ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15 3/5.

This was the fifth win in eight starts for the 3-year-old Rahy filly and her first race since Antespend beat her by almost 32 lengths in the one-mile Las Virgenes on Feb. 18.

Raw Gold, the 9-5 second choice Saturday, obviously gets along with jockey Chris Antley, who had ridden Antespend in the Las Virgenes. They are now four for five in tandem.

Miraloma, making her first start since injuring a knee after two impressive victories last spring, was prominent for half a mile before fading to fifth in the field of six.

“She flew out of the gate, didn’t she?” asked trainer Dave Hofmans of the winner, owned by Georgia Ridder. “I was happy to see Chris let [30-1 longshot Sheza Valentine] go on the lead. He took her back just a bit, but not enough for the speed to get away from her.”

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To say trainer Bill Mott is loaded in the handicap division would be a gross understatement.

In addition to Cigar, who has won 14 in a row to establish himself as tops in the world, Mott also has Geri and Wekiva Springs, who ran 1-2 in the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Making his first start in a Grade I race, Geri, the 13-10 favorite, won for the sixth consecutive time, beating Wekiva Springs by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:47 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Mr Purple and Luthier Fever, the first two finishers in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 2, were fifth and sixth, respectively.

Horse Racing Notes

Lady Lodger, a 17-1 shot, rallied to beat 8-1 outsider Tricky Code to capture the $150,000 Miss America Handicap in 1:35 4/5 at Golden Gate Fields. . . . Borodislew is the 5-2 favorite for today’s feature, the $75,000 Santa Lucia Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. . . . El Amante earned a decisive 3 1/2-length victory in the $200,000 Flamingo Stakes for 3-year-olds at Hialeah, Fla.