Benchmark Makes Mark at Santa Anita

Del Mar Dennis didn’t make any history Sunday.

Trying to become the first horse in the history of Santa Anita to win the same stakes race four times, the 7-year-old Dixieland Band gelding had a less-than-ideal trip as the 9-5 favorite and finished sixth under Alex Solis in the $157,650 San Bernardino Handicap.

But Del Mar Dennis’ journey was a dream compared to that of Kingdom Found, who was shut off by Private Song and Julio Garcia while trying to rally in the stretch and did well to finish second as the 19-10 second choice.

There were no problems for Benchmark, who made a successful debut in graded company, rallying from last after six furlongs to win by 1 lengths in 1:48 1/5 for the 1 miles.

Ridden by Chris McCarron for owners Marty and Pam Wygod and trainer Ron Ellis, Benchmark, the 7-2 third choice, has won five times in nine tries in a career that has been interrupted many times because of problems.

“He looks like he’s ready for a good year this year,” Ellis said. “He’s bred to get better with age and better with distance. I think he’s a true mile-and-a-quarter horse. We’ve had high hopes for him all along.”

Kingdom Found’s rider, Gary Stevens, wasn’t happy.

“I was much the best,” said Stevens. “I had room to go through there in the stretch. It was very suspicious. Another jock knew I was in tight already, pulled his stick into his left hand and started hitting his horse left-handed.

“It about dropped me. I was either going down or coming out of there, so I came out. It was a damned shame.”

Horse Racing Notes

Famous Digger, a 10-1 shot, led from start to finish, taking the $78,160 Providencia Stakes by nearly three lengths under Brice Blanc. Clever Pilot, the 4-5 favorite was third. . . . Services are pending for Roy Nakatani, the father of jockey Corey Nakatani who died Saturday night of an apparent heart attack. It was the second major tragedy in the Nakatani family in a less than a year. The rider’s sister, Dawn, was murdered last fall.