Gassan Royal Looks to Win

Gassan Royal is far from being the best horse in trainer Bobby Frankel’s loaded barn, but the 4-year-old Royal Academy colt has to be admired for his consistency.

In seven starts for the partnership that owns him, Gassan Royal has won twice and been the runner-up five times.

A $35,000 purchase at Keeneland in September 2001, Gassan Royal had been second in three consecutive races for Frankel before he broke through with a win Feb. 13.

The bay will try for a repeat at the same distance -- 1 1/4 miles on the turf -- in today’s seventh race, a $56,000 optional claimer, at Santa Anita.

With regular rider Alex Solis in the United Arab Emirates waiting for his collaboration with Pleasantly Perfect in Saturday’s $6-million Dubai World Cup, Javier Santiago will take over on Gassan Royal. Also entered are Hecandigit, Brave Call, Commercant Vic -- who was claimed for $50,000 on March 6 by a partnership that includes HRTV host Peter Lurie -- Hatif and Fade To Blue.

Race of the day: Remind, who has been 1-2 in seven of 10 starts on the turf, will try for his first win of 2004 in today’s sixth, a $38,000 allowance at about 1 1/16 miles on the grass, at Gulfstream Park. Cornelio Velasquez will ride the 4-year-old Deputy Minister colt for Claiborne Farm and trainer Bill Mott.

One for the road: Musetta’s Waltz debuts for trainer Greg Martin in today’s seventh at Aqueduct after a claim, and big improvement is expected.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using River Lights and Plenty Of Heat in the fifth, Gross Margin and Chat Man in the sixth, Gassan Royal and Commercant Vic in the seventh, and Twister Alley, Great White North and Tin Mine in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/191. Money: Previous day/meet total: $5.20/$1,007.20. Total money bet: $1,116.