Atticus Makes Hay on Grass

Isitingood’s place in racing’s record book was short-lived.

Less than a month after his world record-setting 1:32 mile in the Bart Handicap on turf, the 6-year-old son of Crusader Sword was outdone by Atticus on Saturday in the $157,400 Arcadia Handicap at Santa Anita.

Making his first start since Nov. 30 for trainer Richard Mandella, Atticus went right to the front under Corey Nakatani and kept on going, completing the mile on grass in 1:31 4/5. Before Isitingood, Dr. Fager held the record, running the distance in 1:32 1/5 on the main track at Arlington Park on Aug. 24, 1968.

One day short of a year after he made a successful U.S. debut after a five-month layoff, Atticus, a 5-year-old Nureyev horse, opened up two lengths through a 22 3/5-second first-quarter, had 1 1/2 lengths after a 45 2/5-second half-mile, maintained that advantage through a 1:08 3/5 six furlongs, then extended his advantage to nearly three lengths over Pinfloron en route to the record clocking.

Owned by the La Presle Farm of Elaine and Gerard Wertheimer, Atticus won for the sixth time in 16 starts and paid $9.20 as the 7-2 third choice in the field of six.

Atticus has won twice in four tries on the main track.

The second-longest shot in the field at 7-1, Pinfloron was two lengths clear of 3-2 favorite Rainbow Blues, who beat Via Lombardia by half a length. Inner City was fifth and Unfinished Symph, who was making his first start since Sept. 2, 1995, was pulled up by jockey Julio Garcia shortly after the start.

“I don’t know what happened to him,” said Garcia. “He was working perfect and warmed up well. Maybe he’s a little sore behind because he started wobbling when I pulled him up.”

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Jerry Bailey guided Mt. Sassafras into the lead at the 16th pole and pulled away from heavily favored Skip Away to win the $500,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths in Hallandale, Fla.

Mt. Sassafras, a 5-year-old Canadian-bred, won in 2:01 1/5 and paid $23.80 for beating Skip Away, last year’s champion 3-year-old, who finished second by a neck over Tejano Run in a field of seven racing 1 1/4 miles.

The winner carried 113 pounds, nine less than the top-weighted Skip Away.

Horse Racing Notes

The Thoroughbred Owners of California will hold a course for new owners a week from today at 8 a.m. at Santa Anita. The featured speakers will be owners Bob and Beverly Lewis and former trainer Gary Jones. Information: (818) 574-6620. . . . Post time today is noon.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.