San Fernando Field Reunites Six Horses

A better name for today’s San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Santa Anita might be the Malibu, Part II.

Of the 10 horses who ran in the seven-furlong Malibu on opening day, Dec. 26, six are back to run in the San Fernando at 1 1/16 miles. The goal for most of these 4-year-olds is the finale to the Strub series, the Strub Stakes, at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 6.

No one has swept the Strub series since Precisionist in 1985, and only one horse since him--On The Line, 11 years ago--has even put together wins in the Malibu and the San Fernando. The only horse with a chance to join those exclusive ranks this year is Run Man Run, who won the Malibu, and if the public follows Jeff Tufts’ morning line, trainer Anthony Margotta’s New York shipper will be only the third or fourth choice at post time. Event Of The Year, third in the Malibu, is the 9-5 favorite, followed by Artax, the Malibu runner-up, at 5-2, and Run Man Run and Mail Coach, both 5-1.

Mail Coach came from last, 14 lengths behind, to finish fourth, beaten by less than four lengths, in the Malibu. Other returnees from that race are Old Topper, who was sixth, and Yarrow Brae, who finished eighth. The new shooters in the San Fernando are Dixie Dot Com, the second-place Hollywood Derby finisher who has never run at Santa Anita, and Hanuman Highway, whose strong mile race at the Arcadia track last winter led to a second-place finish against Victory Gallop in the Arkansas Derby.

Horse Racing Notes

The horse who ran last--Real Quiet--in last year’s Golden Gate Derby went on to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. The next running of Golden Gate Fields’ most important race for 3-year-olds is today, with the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained entry of Absolute Harmony and Voice Of Destiny the 7-5 morning-line favorite. The eight-horse field has another betting coupling--trainer Jeff Bonde’s Blue Tune and Epic Honor--and they’re the 5-2 second choice. Shippers from Southern California include Company Approval, who ran some strong grass races at Hollywood Park.