Seems Just Like Good Old Days for Exotic Wood

A virtual no-show in her first two starts of 1997, Exotic Wood was back to her best Wednesday at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-old Rahy mare made no mistakes in her first appearance since she was beaten by 14 lengths in the Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap on June 22 at Hollywood Park. A month before that, she had run last at 2-5 in the Soviet Problem Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Bay Meadows.

With Chris McCarron aboard, the 4-5 choice in the $66,000 allowance race won for the fourth time in five tries at Santa Anita, beating Fleet Lady by three lengths in 1:08 for the six furlongs.

“I think she’s back to her old self,” said owner-breeder Marty Wygod after Exotic Wood won for the ninth time in 12 lifetime starts. “She’s been getting better every day. She was tested every inch of the way, and she just pulled away from them in the stretch.”

Wygod hinted Exotic Wood might run in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 8 at Hollywood Park coupled with Twice The Vice. The Distaff is 1 1/8 miles, and she has won two of three around two turns, including the Go For Wand last year at Saratoga.

“She’s been a different mare since we brought her back here [to Santa Anita from Hollywood Park]. That 1:11 3/5 work [Sept. 28] was as good as any work she had last year. Ever since we put her back in her old stall, she’s been very happy.”

Mud Route, who some believed could have won the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, will make his first start since Jan. 18 today against seven others in a six-furlong sprint.

Mud Route injured the shin on his left foreleg while working seven furlongs last winter for trainer Ron McAnally. He was preparing for the one-mile San Rafael, which would have marked his first try in a stakes.

Third in a much-troubled debut last Nov. 20 at Hollywood Park, the 3-year-old son of Strawberry Road, owned by Janis Whitham, returned to break his maiden by 11 lengths nearly a month later, then stretched out to a mile and won by a little more than two lengths without any encouragement from McCarron.

He blew out a half-mile in 45 4/5 on Tuesday morning, the best of 45 works at the distance that day, and McCarron and McAnally are happy with the way he’s training. He is the 7-5 favorite on Jeff Tufts’ morning line this afternoon.

A long-range goal for him would be the Strub Series at Santa Anita in the winter, and that could match him with Silver Charm, Touch Gold and Free House, among others.

Larry The Legend, who hasn’t won since his dramatic victory over Afternoon Deelites in the 1995 Santa Anita Derby, will begin another comeback in Sunday’s $150,000 Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Idle since he underwent surgery earlier this year for a throat problem, the 5-year-old son of Local Talent hasn’t won in six starts since the Derby victory for owner and trainer Craig Lewis.

Still, he remains a very popular horse. “His following is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” said Lewis. “We have inquiries about him all the time, and we had a lady from Hawaii send him flowers at Del Mar.

“We get cards and mail for him. It’s amazing. I figured his popularity would diminish with the fact that he hasn’t run that much [since the Derby win]. But, for whatever reason, people are really fascinated by him.”

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Chris Antley, who has been riding in New York, is returning to California and his agent will be Ron Anderson, who also works for Gary Stevens. Antley is named to ride first-time starter Given The Nod for trainer Wesley Ward in Friday’s fifth race. . . . Jockey J.G. Matos was the victim of a questionable disqualification when 10-1 shot Pert Laura was moved from first to third in Wednesday’s fourth race. Odds-on favorite Sassy backed into the victory, the 10th of the meeting for trainer Bob Baffert, and Checked Queen was moved from second to third. The inquiry was conducted only after jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rode Sassy, claimed foul.