Drysdale Nearing Record for Stakes Wins at Santa Anita

Bob Baffert isn’t the only one with a runaway lead in terms of trainer standings.

One away from equaling Gary Jones’ long-standing record of 47 victories at a winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita, neither Baffert nor anyone else has been a match for Neil Drysdale in another category.

On Saturday, when Labeeb made a successful comeback in the $113,100 San Simeon Handicap and heavily-favored Fiji did the expected in the $250,000 Santa Barbara Handicap, Drysdale upped his season total to 12 stakes victories, double the count of Baffert and Ron McAnally.

With two days left in Arcadia, Drysdale has a chance to tie or break the record for most stakes wins at this track. Charlie Whittingham holds the mark with 14 during the 1970-71 meeting and Drysdale, who was an assistant to Whittingham at that time, has Dance Parade in today’s $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap, Belgravia and Si Seductor in the $400,000 San Juan Capistrano and Mufattish in the $84,000 Royal Owl Handicap on Monday.

In a barn that is loaded, Fiji is the top star. She won for the fourth time in five U.S. starts Saturday, dominating the Santa Barbara the way she did in her stakes debut last month in the Santa Ana.

Ridden with confidence by Kent Desormeaux--for good reason--the 4-year-old Rainbow Quest filly sat third behind the slow pace set by Ecoute, took over with about a quarter of a mile to go and coasted home by 5 1/2 lengths in 2:00 1/5 for the 1 1/4 miles.

This was the sixth win in seven starts for the 2-5 favorite and her only loss came when she was beaten by a nose by Sixy Saint in her U.S. debut last Dec. 27, a race where she broke slowly, then stumbled.

Owned by Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp., Fiji appears the best female grass performer in the country.

“There’s little more to do on her but aim her in the right direction because she is really something special,” said Desormeaux. “She’s just a wonderful filly. She cuts all the corners and just does everything right.

“She’s got those tall legs and she certainly knows what to do with them. When I asked her, she just cut for home and I knew it was over.”

Now it is on to Hollywood Park for Fiji, who probably won’t surface again until the Gamely Handicap on June 7.

“That’s where she’ll run if everything goes as planned,” said Drysdale. “She made it look easy.”

Pomona, the second longest shot in the field of five at nearly 8-1, was second, four clear of Ecoute, then came Queen Maud, the 4-1 second choice, and Real Connection, the one-eyed mare whose recent efforts suggest she should be retired.

Two races before Fiji’s well-rewarded workout, Labeeb rallied from far back in his first start since last Aug. 24 to beat 17-10 favorite Surachai by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:12 4/5 for the about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf.

A talented son of Lear Fan who developed the nasty habit last year of dumping riders in the morning and once in the afternoon--he unseated John Velasquez in the Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park in June--Labeeb was a perfect gentleman in the San Simeon.

Widest of all into the stretch under Desormeaux, he closed with a rush to win for the sixth time in 17 starts for owner Maktoum Al Maktoum.

“Labeeb’s been doing a lot of work on the Santa Anita turf course,” said Drysdale. “Kent’s been [working] horses alongside him, so he knows him pretty well. He had a lot of confidence in the horse. I’m just happy to have this [his comeback race] so we can move forward.”

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Victimized by a troubled trip in last month’s San Luis Rey Stakes, Star Performance is the 5-2 morning line choice in the $400,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap.

Trained by Bobby Frankel for owners Agri-Harvest Inc. and Blue Vista Inc., Star Performance lacked room in the stretch, then got clear late to finish third, beaten by 1 3/4 lengths.

In his two previous starts in this country in 1997, the 5-year-old Theatrical gelding was fourth in the Sunset Handicap, then eighth of nine in the Escondido Handicap at Del Mar. He won four of nine in Europe.

Looking for his seventh win in 10 starts since being claimed by owner Robert Baron and trainer Mike Mitchell last Aug. 15, Kessem Power is the 3-1 second choice. The 6-year-old Kessem horse won the San Luis Rey at 14-1 to push his earnings for Baron and Mitchell over $330,000. Alex Solis will be back aboard today on the New Zealand-bred, who has won four of nine on the Santa Anita turf course.

Earlier on the card, Advancing Star will try to win the $100,000 Las Cienegas Handicap for the second consecutive year when she takes on five other fillies and mares.