Tiznow Gets High Weight

Trying to rebound from an upset loss in the Strub Stakes, Tiznow will carry top weight of 122 pounds in Saturday’s $1-million Santa Anita Handicap.

Given the imposts carried by some Big ‘Cap winners in the past, 122 pounds is hardly a hefty assignment for the reigning horse of the year, but for the current conditions of the race, no horse can be assigned more than 126.

Second to Wooden Phone in the Strub under 123 pounds, Tiznow, who had won four in a row before that defeat, carried 122 in his victories in the San Fernando and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

With Captain Steve, who was assigned 121 pounds, waiting for the $6-million Dubai World Cup on March 24, Bienamado, who will be making his main track debut, is next with 119 pounds.

A winner of six of 12 on the grass, Bienamado will be ridden for the first time by Alex Solis because regular rider Chris McCarron will be aboard Tiznow.

The rest of the probables (weight in parentheses) are: Aptitude (113), Beat All (113), Irisheyesareflying (112), Jimmy Z. (111), Lethal Instrument (115), Moonlight Charger (111), Perssonet (110), Wooden Phone (117) and Jorrocks (113).

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In a race switched from the turf to the dirt and reduced to a field of six after half a dozen scratches, Skip To The Stone made it two consecutive wins with a 1 1/2-length victory over favored Trailthefox in the $110,000 Baldwin Stakes Sunday at Santa Anita.

Trained by Mike Mitchell for Kevin Ward’s Greystone Racing Stable and Vincenzo Loverso, Skip To The Stone, who was beaten a combined 29 1/2 lengths in his first two starts, led all the way over a sloppy track that favored speed all afternoon. Ridden by Corey Nakatani, the 3-year-old son of Skip Trial completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 1/5. He paid $6.60 as the 2-1 second choice.

A $100,000 purchase last year, Skip To The Stone will probably try two turns in his next start. Mitchell indicated after the Baldwin that the colt could return March 17 in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes.

Notes

Jockey Chris McCarron, who had only one mount Sunday at Santa Anita after Media Mogul was scratched from the Baldwin Stakes, remains 18 wins away from 7,000. . . . Latour, the 9-2 third choice, made a successful graded stakes debut when she upset 7-10 favorite Gold Mover in the $100,000 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park. Trained by John Kimmel for Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, the 3-year-old French Deputy filly tracked the pace of Gold Mover for half a mile, then went on to win by half a length in 1:45 2/5 for the 1 1/16 miles. . . . Jockey Victor Espinoza, who had been mired in a one-for-42 slump, had three winners Sunday. He took the second with As We Know It, the third with Los Cabo and the fifth with Pride Of The Group. . . . Hookedonthefeelin, a multiple-stakes winner for owner Mike Pegram and trainer Bob Baffert, has been retired and is going to be bred to 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet. The 5-year-old mare finished her career with seven wins in 18 starts and earned over $488,000.