Another Grade I Win for Frankel

Following up his win with Milwaukee Brew in Saturday’s Santa Anita Handicap, trainer Bobby Frankel added another Grade I win to his resume with Aldebaran in Sunday’s $200,000 San Carlos Handicap.

Making his first start since finishing a distant third behind Congaree in the Cigar Mile last Nov. 30 at Aqueduct, Aldebaran lagged off the pace early, then came on late to win by five lengths over 11-10 favorite Crafty C.T. and four others.

Owned and bred by Stavros Niarchos’ Flaxman Holdings Ltd., the 5-year-old Mr. Prospector horse completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.53 under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr.

This was the second win in as many starts at Santa Anita for Aldebaran, who returned $6.80 as the 2-1 second choice, and it was his first graded stakes win. He had been second 11 times previously and four of those runner-up finishes had been in Grade I races.

On paper, the San Carlos looked as if it would not set up in favor of Aldebaran. Total Limit looked to have the controlling early speed, especially after the late scratch at the gate of longshot Roman Dancer.

Instead, there wound up being a four-way duel for the lead among Total Limit, Crafty C.T., Shah Jehan, and, unbelievably, the usually late-charging Mellow Fellow, setting the table for Frankel’s horse.

“I was afraid of Total Limit [who wound up last] getting an easy lead,” admitted Frankel. “But, I liked it when all four of them were going up there head and head.”

“This is a good horse....I Frankel said Aldebaran’s next race would be the $350,000 Carter, a Grade I, on April 12 at Aqueduct.

Crafty C.T., who also had been not race since the Cigar Mile -- he was third that day -- saved the place by a half-length over 9-1 shot Grey Memo.

Crafty C.T. has been first or second in all seven of his races at Santa Anita, but still has won a Grade I race.

“I think his best races are when he’s allowed to sit off the pace a couple of lengths and run from behind,” said jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who won four races on Sunday.

“He showed a ton of heart to hold second.”

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Making his first start on Lasix, Mineshaft dusted a solid group of older horses and easily won the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap at the Fair Grounds.

Owned and bred by Will Farish, James Elkins and W.T. Webber and trained by Neil Howard, the 5-1 second choice in the field of 11 won by 3 1/2 lengths under jockey Robby Albarado. Olmadavor, a California shipper ridden by Alex Solis, finished second and Strive was third. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.92.

This was the second consecutive win in the Grade II race for Farish and Howard.

They won last year with Parade Leader.

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Whosleavingwho earned a spot in the Champion of Champions, which he won last year, with an expected win in the $206,000 Los Alamitos Winter Championship Saturday night.

The overwhelming 2-5 favorite in the Grade I race, the co-world champion for 2002 defeated 7-1 shot Agouti by a length. Ridden by Joe Badilla Jr., Whosleavingwho completed the 400 yards in 19.48 seconds.

Owned by Jim Geiler and Kim Kessinger and trained by Paul Jones, who also trains Agouti and third-place finisher Chicks Rapidash, Whosleavingwho, a 5-year-old Chicks Beduino gelding, has won 15 of 28 races.