Two California Cup Veterans Poised to Run and Take Money

Although the $250,000 Wells Fargo Classic is the richest race on today’s California Cup card at Santa Anita, two veteran horses are in the wings, ready to steal the show in other races.

Letthebighossroll, winner of the second running of the Cal Cup Sprint in 1991, will try to win the stake again as a 9-year-old. And Megan’s Interco, running today in the $175,000 Cal Cup Mile, could set a record by winning for the fourth time since the series for state-breds began in 1990.

His Legacy, a 9-year-old when he won his third Starter Handicap in 1994, shares the Cal Cup record with Megan’s Interco, who won the Mile on grass in 1993 and 1995 before taking last year’s Classic, a 1 1/8-mile dirt race.

Trainer Jenine Sahadi had hoped to run Megan’s Interco in the Classic again this year, but owner-breeder Milt Bronson’s 8-year-old gelding missed a prep race early in the meet. Megan’s Interco hasn’t run in nearly a year, since he won the Cal Cup Classic last Nov. 2.

“He came up with a quarter crack in his right hind hoof and we missed a 6 1/2-furlong race down the hill,” Sahadi said. “Quarter cracks have been his problem his entire career.”

Megan’s Interco and Letthebighossroll are nearing $1 million in earnings, something that only 18 Cal-breds have accomplished. Best Pal leads the list with $5.6 million, but he won only one Cal Cup, the Classic in 1993.

“Not many remain competitive when they reach the ages of these horses,” Sahadi said. “Horses like Megan’s Interco, Letthebighossroll and Best Pal stay around and develop a following. Megan’s Interco gets fan mail. Horses like these are good for the industry.”

Megan’s Interco has won 14 of 29 starts and earned $933,925. He needs the winner’s share of the purse, $105,000, to hit seven figures. He drew the No. 6 post in a field of 10 and will be ridden by Corey Nakatani, who won with him last year in the Classic.

Megan’s Interco has a better record on grass than dirt, eight victories and four seconds in 16 races. Running well after layoffs has been a way of life. He had been sidelined more than seven months when he won the Super Diamond Stakes at Hollywood Park in June of 1996.

“He’s my all-time favorite,” Sahadi said. “He’s been with me for so many years. . . . In the beginning, he was high-strung, but he’s much better now.”

Letthebighossroll’s sire, Flying Paster, is in the $1-million club for Cal-breds, having earned $1.1 million. Out of the mare Moonlight Jig, Letthebighossroll was foaled in May of 1988 at Cardiff Stud, Sahadi’s family farm, the day after Winning Colors won the Kentucky Derby. When Letthebighossroll was a 2-year-old, trainer Bob Baffert bought the gray horse for $80,000, the highest price in the auction, at a Barretts sale in Pomona.

Letthebighossroll, who races for Mike Pegram, has 18 wins, 13 seconds and six thirds, with purses of $983,378. Letthebighossroll has won only one of five starts this year. He drew the No. 10 position in the 10-horse field for today’s Cal Cup Sprint.

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End Run is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Cal Cup Classic. The field, in post-position order: Awesome Daze, Just Call Me Bob, Arrivederci Baby, Batoile, End Run, Busy Little Beaver, Alki Joe, To Be Khaled and Pete The Greek. Arrivederci Baby is the high weight with 117 pounds, two to six pounds more than the others.

Horse Racing Notes

The horse shortage that has led to short fields also forced the cancellation of the $75,000 Distaff Starter Handicap, reducing the Cal Cup program to nine races. . . . At 116 pounds, Latin Dancer is the high weight Sunday in the $100,000 Morvich Handicap.

Jockey Pat Valenzuela, who has been charged with three misdemeanor counts of spousal abuse, will have a jury trial, starting Dec. 15. Valenzuela, who has been suspended indefinitely by the stewards at Santa Anita for not tending to his business, has been released on $50,000 bail.