Freedom Crest Can Take Big Step in San Antonio

The last horse to follow a win in the San Pasqual Handicap with another in the San Antonio Handicap was Alphabet Soup in 1996.

Of course, those weren’t the biggest victories of the year for that roan son of Cozzene. His shining moment came when he won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Woodbine, beating Cigar, among others.

Having easily won the San Pasqual on Jan. 7 to extend his winning streak to three, Freedom Crest will be favored to keep his roll going in today’s $300,000 San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita.

A $32,000 claim by trainer Richard Baltas for owners Calvin Nguyen, Barbara Choi and Alex Wong on June 10, 1999, Freedom Crest will be trying to earn his way into next month’s $1-million Santa Anita Handicap.

Given his recent performances, the 5-year-old gelding already deserves a shot in the Big ‘Cap, especially since the handicap division in California isn’t particularly deep.

Looking like a thoroughbred who will do better with more distance--the nine-furlong San Antonio will be Freedom Crest’s first race beyond 1 1/16 miles--the son of To Freedom tracked the pace on the outside in the San Pasqual, then kicked away under Gary Stevens to win by three lengths. This came after consecutive victories at Hollywood Park.

The 2-1 favorite on the morning line, Freedom Crest will have nine opponents after Lesters Boy and Capo Di Capo, who finished last in Saturday’s Strub Stakes, were scratched.

Guided Tour, a 5-year-old Hansel gelding, is the 7-2 second choice. Owned by Morton Fink and trained by Niall O’Callaghan, Guided Tour will be making his first appearance in California, but travel has not been a problem for him.

Last year, Guided Tour won five times at four tracks--Churchill Downs, Woodbine, Thistledown and Fair Grounds.

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It was no surprise that a son of Gilded Time won the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes on Saturday.

Only it wasn’t the 3-year-old the betting public expected. Early Flyer, the 5-1 third choice in the field of six, upset previously unbeaten and 4-5 favorite Lasersport, also a son of 1992 champion 2-year-old Gilded Time, in the Grade II race.

No match for Lasersport in the San Miguel Stakes three weeks earlier, Early Flyer turned the tables with a change in strategy and the addition of Lasix.

Reserved off the pace by jockey Chris McCarron, Early Flyer, who is owned by Verne Winchell’s VHW Stables and trained by Ron McAnally, got the lead with about a sixteenth of a mile to go and won by a neck in 1:21 2/5 for the seven furlongs.

This was the second win in four starts for the homebred, who has been second in his two defeats. Out of the mare Bistra, who was also trained by McAnally, Early Flyer will try two turns for the first time in the one-mile San Rafael Stakes on March 3.

“We tried [Lasersport] on the lead last time, put a lot of pressure on him and it didn’t work,” McAnally said. “If ever we were going to take back and beat him, it was going to be today.”

Lasersport, who set 22 1/5, 44 4/5 and 1:08 4/5 fractions, finished two lengths ahead of 5-2 second choice D’wildcat, then came Jamaican Rum and Bills Paid. Dr. Park was scratched.

Notes

There is a pick six carry-over for today of $210,061. . . . Although he failed in the Strub with Tiznow, jockey Chris McCarron added a second stakes win when Jeweled Pirate scored a 7-1 upset in the $150,000 Pro Or Con Handicap. Lazy Slusan, the 3-2 favorite, was second and Mimi’s Cafe third. . . . Longshot Candid Glen edged Sunspot, another outsider, to win the $150,000 Fair Grounds Breeders’ Cup Handicap in New Orleans. Candid Glen paid $52.40. Fateful Dream, the 7-5 favorite ridden by Brice Blanc for trainer Bobby Frankel, was off the board in the field of 12. . . . Startac, the 9-10 favorite, drew away to win the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby. Ridden by Alex Solis for the Allen Paulson Living Trust and trainer Simon Bray, the son of Theatrical completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 3/5. . . . Trainer Nick Canani won two stakes at Turf Paradise with Blue Springs ($22) in the Arizona Oaks and Devine Wind ($6) in the Turf Paradise Breeders’ Cup Handicap after original winner Zanetti was disqualified. . . . Out Of Reach made a successful U.S. debut, winning the $100,000 Brown Bess Handicap at Golden Gate Fields for Frankel.