This Year’s Big ‘Cap Could Be Best Ever

Even though last year’s winner, Malek, will be on the sidelines, the 62nd Santa Anita Handicap is being billed as one of the toughest runnings of the race. Top to bottom in the six-horse field, there are no throw-outs.

“It’s the best [Big ‘Cap] in 15 years,” said Gary Stevens, who first rode in Santa Anita’s signature race in 1985. “There have been years when you’ve had one or two top horses, and there have been years when you’ve had no superstars at all. But this year you can make a case for every horse in the race.”

With three wins (Ruhlmann, Farma Way and Urgent Request) from 11 Big ‘Cap mounts, Stevens will be riding Saturday’s favorite, Silver Charm, if oddsmaker Jeff Tufts’ morning line holds up. Silver Charm is listed at 8-5. Puerto Madero, who’s 2-1, beat Silver Charm on Jan. 30, but that was at Gulfstream Park, in the Donn Handicap. At Santa Anita, where he has won five of his 11 stakes at distances from seven to nine furlongs, Silver Charm ought to run better. Puerto Madero has never run at Santa Anita.

Richard Mandella, trying to become the first trainer to win the Big ‘Cap three years in a row, will saddle Puerto Madero and Event Of The Year and save Malek for the Dubai World Cup, a $5-million race, on March 28. Malek’s 1998 Big ‘Cap win will be forever marginalized because Silver Charm was scratched because of a bruised foot and Gentlemen bled badly and finished last as the 1-20 favorite.

Gentlemen was only one of many favorites that haven’t been good enough in this race. In the last 10 years only two favorites--Farma Way in 1991 and Best Pal in 1992--have won.

Besides Puerto Madero, the other Chilean-bred in Saturday’s race is Sidon, a lightly raced 5-year-old whose last win, in the Chilean Derby more than a year ago, was rubbed out by a disqualification. Ron McAnally, who has trained Sidon for his two U.S. starts, won the Big ‘Cap with John Henry in 1981 and 1982, but he’s more mindful of his third win, with the 18-1 shot Mr Purple in 1996. Sidon’s price Saturday will be something like Mr Purple’s.

“My horse lost a shoe [while running third] in his last race,” McAnally said. “The distance should suit him. I just hope he stays out of everybody’s way.”

Horse Racing Notes

Only two horses--Malek last year and Mr. Right in 1968--have won the Santa Anita Handicap from the No. 1 post. . . . Other stakes on Saturday’s card are the $150,000 San Carlos Handicap and the $150,000 Arcadia Handicap. Hawksley Hill, second to Da Hoss in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, will try to win the Arcadia for the second consecutive year. . . . The five-horse San Carlos is a gold rush--with Kona Gold, Gold Land and Dramatic Gold being joined by Lord Grillo and Big Jag.