It’s a Curtain Call for ‘Musical’

Musical Gambler helped close the Oak Tree meeting Monday the same way he did in 1998.

Making his first start since Dec. 20, Musical Gambler repeated as the winner of the $66,300 Skywalker Handicap, the final added-money event of the 31-day meet at Santa Anita.

Musical Gambler, the 13-10 favorite, overcame a bobble at the break to quickly take the lead and went on to beat 8-1 shot Koslanin by two lengths in 1:35 4/5 for the mile.

Failing to threaten in the race was Cavonnier, the 2-1 second choice. The 6-year-old gelding, who won the 1996 Santa Anita Derby and was second in that year’s Kentucky Derby, was fifth in the field of seven under Laffit Pincay, Jr.

Although Cavonnier disappointed, Pincay did make progress in his march toward Bill Shoemaker’s record of 8,833 victories.

Pincay, who will turn 53 late next month, is now only 22 wins away after winning the second with Duck Season and the ninth with favored Trif.

He finished third in the Oak Tree standings with 19 victories, behind David Flores and Alex Solis. With 27 winners, Flores earned his first Oak Tree title, beating Solis by two.

Bob Baffert won the training championship for the third consecutive year, saddling 21 winners, 10 more than Richard Mandella, Bill Spawr and Ron McAnally.

Oak Tree finished with a decrease in both daily average attendance and handle.

The daily average handle was down 1.6% from last year and the daily average attendance was down 4.7%. On track, the daily average handle was up 3%, but the daily average attendance on track declined 7.5%.

Said Sherwood Chillingworth, Oak Tree’s director and executive vice president: “I believe some people shied away at the beginning of the meet because of the construction, but we were very appreciative of the effort Magna International [Santa Anita’s parent company] put forth to complete the renovations in time for our meeting. [The changes] were received extremely well by our fans.”

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The purse for next year’s Santa Anita Derby, which will be run April 8, has been increased to $1 million.

Raised to that level in 1996, the purse was reduced to $750,000 the following year, but the Grade I event was among a few stakes races at Santa Anita, which will begin its 87-day winter-spring meet Dec. 26, that had purses increased.

The Santa Anita Oaks was boosted to $300,000, from $250,000, the Arcadia Handicap was increased $50,000 to $200,000, and the Pro Or Con, the Crystal Water and San Simeon Handicaps were all raised $25,000.

Horse Racing Notes

Silic, who won the Breeders’ Cup Mile Saturday at Gulfstream Park, may start once more this year, according to trainer Julio Canani. The $1-million Hong Kong Mile on Dec. 12 is a possibility for the 4-year-old, who beat Tuzla, a mare formerly trained by Canani, in the Mile. . . . Budroyale, who followed up his win in the Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap with a gritty second-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, was selected horse of the meet by those who covered the Oak Tree meeting. . . . Trainer Ed Delaplane was suspended for 15 days and fined $2,500 by Oak Tree stewards after one of his horses had a drug positive earlier this year. Slew O’Aces, who is also owned by Delaplane, tested positive for an excess level of albuterol after finishing second in a maiden turf race at Hollywood Park last May 16. . . . Musical Gambler, a 5-year-old gray gelding, is owned by David and Holly Wilson and trained by Vladimir Cerin.