Big ‘Cap to Be Big Showdown

Trainer Richard Mandella says Gentlemen is “one in a million.” That must make Silver Charm one in another million after the two of them wowed a rain-splattered crowd of 26,369 at Santa Anita on Saturday.

About an hour after Gentlemen roared to an easy win in the San Antonio Handicap in 1:47 3/5, Silver Charm chalked up a four-length victory in the $500,000 Strub Stakes, running his 1 1/8 miles in a slightly faster 1:47 1/5. For both races, the track was listed as “wet-fast” by the Daily Racing Form and “good” on the infield tote board.

Bob Baffert, who trains Silver Charm for Bob and Beverly Lewis, ranked the 4-year-old colt’s win in the Strub with his victory in the Kentucky Derby last year.

“He was at his best [Saturday],” Baffert said. “The way he trained and the way he ran, I wish he would have been running against Gentlemen this time.”

The showdown between the 6-year-old Gentlemen and Silver Charm will come at 1 1/4 miles, in the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, and this makes for an enviable but difficult decision for Gary Stevens, who rides both horses.

“It is a dilemma, but I’d just like to enjoy winning these races before I think about it,” Stevens said late Saturday.

Mandella acted as though there was more urgency in his camp than there is in Baffert’s.

“It’s a tough call for Gary, but we’d want to know something soon,” Mandella said. “I wouldn’t want to be dragging it out.”

Silver Charm carried 123 pounds in the Strub and Gentlemen toted 124 in the San Antonio, a race he also won last year before finishing third in the Big ‘Cap.

“My horse gave me goose-bumps for the first time,” Baffert said. “A mile and quarter should be right down his alley.”

Asked about the weights that the Santa Anita racing office might assign for the Big ‘Cap, Baffert joked: “I’d think they’d give the other horse about 20 or 30 pounds more. Seriously, I don’t think weights are an issue. I’m going to be running my horse if he’s doing well.”

Silver Charm had less trouble with Mud Route than he did when Baffert’s colt won the San Fernando by one length. This time Silver Charm circled the field at the top of the stretch and had the win in hand by mid-stretch. Mud Route, carrying 117 pounds, finished second, two lengths ahead of Bagshot.

Silver Charm, paying $2.60 to win, has seven wins and five seconds in 12 starts and the $300,000 for the Strub sent his earnings past the $2-million mark, to $2.2 million. He is the fifth horse--after Determine, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid and Alysheba--to win the Kentucky Derby and the Strub.

There was a brief stewards’ inquiry after Tru Story, outside Mud Route, clipped heels when Silver Charm went by them on the turn for home. There was no change in the order of finish.

Tru Story finished last under Corey Nakatani and returned with a cut under one of his knees.

“Gary Stevens angled his horse in,” said Nakatani, a frequent critic of the stewards. “I almost went down and the stewards didn’t do anything. I guess that’s the way they’re going to do it around here now.”

“Corey’s horse was dropping out of there pretty quickly,” Stevens said. “Chris McCarron’s horse [Mud Route] might have been fading a bit. Mine might have been coming in a bit. But it was just one of those bad steps that [Tru Story] took.”

After the San Fernando, Baffert took the blue shadow roll off Silver Charm’s nose and tossed it into the crowd that ringed the winner’s circle. After the Strub, another shadow roll went into orbit and Stevens added a couple of pairs of goggles as souvenirs.

He needed them, because Silver Charm was in third place early, behind Mud Route and Tru Story. Baffert was concerned that Nakatani and Tru Story might pin Silver Charm against the fence, behind Mud Route, but Stevens avoided that potential bottleneck by moving Silver Charm to the outside as the field neared the far turn.

“To me, this was by far the most impressive that Silver Charm has run,” Stevens said after winning his first Strub. “He drew off and really won with authority. When I pulled out, I gave Silver Charm a good whack on the shoulder and got him up into the bridle. He knew then that it was serious stuff. He was like a cat, just waiting to pounce.

“It was two outstanding performances by [Silver Charm and Gentlemen]. The right word is devastating. They put in two unbelievable performances.”