Last to First Again for Brave Act

Ron McAnally couldn’t have asked for a better start to the new year.

The Hall of Fame trainer won the first two added-money races of 2000 at Santa Anita, taking the $80,300 Run for the Roses Handicap with Bordelaise and the $162,450 San Gabriel Handicap with Brave Act.

For Brave Act, a 6-year-old son of Persian Bold, it was his second consecutive win in the San Gabriel. His latest victory was almost identical to his win in the Citation Handicap on Nov. 27 at Hollywood Park.

Brave Act had rallied from last place after a fast pace to beat Native Desert by a neck in the Citation. In the San Gabriel, he came from last place--behind a slow pace this time--to beat Native Desert by a head. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on a course labeled good was 1:49 1/5, and Brave Act paid $7.80 as the 5-2 second choice.

Brave Act won for the 12th time in 26 starts and has four victories in six races over the Santa Anita turf course.

“He’s a very special horse,” jockey Alex Solis said. “You don’t get very many horses that can do what he just did. The last 25 yards, he wanted to win bad. He just kept putting his head lower and lower to get in front of [Native Desert].”

Native Desert, the bargain $32,000 claim by trainer Juan Garcia for owner Miguel Rubio, hasn’t been worse than second in his last five races, and has now been first or second in 24 of 45 starts.

Pace-setter Manndar was third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Native Desert, then came Ladies Din, 2-1 favorite Bouccaneer and Kahal.

Notes

Kona Gold, second to Artax in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, is the 4-5 favorite to defend his title in the $100,000-added El Conejo Handicap today at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old gelding, who will race coupled with Son Of A Pistol, will be facing Freespool, Old Topper, Mellow Fellow, Peach Flat and Sea Of Secrets. . . . Bordelaise overcame a troubled beginning to win the Run for the Roses Handicap in her U.S. debut. Ridden by Chris McCarron, the 5-year-old Especial mare beat 2-1 favorite A.P. Assay by a 1 1/2 lengths in running 1:36 1/5 for the mile. This was the sixth victory in 12 starts for Bordelaise, who paid $10.80.