Chatlos’ Singletary Will Tackle the Oak Tree Mile

Starting in 1999, horses from Santa Anita won the Breeders’ Cup Mile three consecutive years. French trainer Pascal Bary cracked that run the last two years, but trainer Don Chatlos Jr., with Singletary, would like to see the Southern California connection return when the Mile is run at Lone Star Park on Oct. 30.

First, though, Singletary must earn his way into the Breeders’ Cup grass race with a solid performance today in the $250,000 Oak Tree Mile at Santa Anita. This is the same stake that successfully set up Silic in 1999, War Chant in 2000 and Val Royal in 2001 for their Breeders’ Cup wins, before Bary showed up with Domedriver in 2002 and Six Perfections in 2003.

Bary will be back with Six Perfections in Texas, and two Santa Anita-based horses, Special Ring and Blackdoun, are among the leading contenders for the Mile. Singletary -- named after Mike Singletary, the former Chicago Bear linebacker who’s now an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens -- could move up with a victory today.

Singletary’s assignment got easier when Julio Canani, who trains Special Ring and Blackdoun, decided to train them up to the Breeders’ Cup. But Canani, who has won the stake three times, will try to beat Singletary today with Tsigane, a French-bred 5-year-old. Also in the field is Musical Chimes, a filly who’s shortening to a mile after a couple of sharp efforts at longer distances.

Singletary, who’ll be ridden by David Flores, hasn’t run since his second-place finish behind Designed For Luck in the Bill Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park on May 31. The 4-year-old colt has two wins and two seconds, all at a mile, this year.

Another Santa Anita race with Breeders’ Cup implications is Sunday’s $250,000 Ancient Title Handicap. The best sprinters in the country -- Pico Central, Speightstown and Cajun Beat -- ran last Saturday at Belmont Park, but Bluesthestandard and Pohave, the 118-pound high weights, may use the Ancient Title as a springboard to Lone Star. Bluesthestandard ran second to Cajun Beat in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

The oddest entrant in the eight-horse Ancient Title is During, who was scratched from last Saturday’s 1 1/8 -mile Goodwood Handicap. During hasn’t run at less than a mile since 2003.

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Jockey Alex Solis, who suffered a broken back, cracked ribs and a punctured lung in a spill at Del Mar on July 23, hasn’t set a date for his return, although it might be during the Santa Anita meet that starts Dec. 26. Solis’ neck brace was removed last month. “I’m bored, but I’ve got to be patient,” Solis said. “I’ve got to make sure I give my body enough time to recuperate.”

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Santa Anita announced Friday that George Haines had been promoted to general manager and Chris McCarron, who had held that post, would take an expanded role with Magna Entertainment, the Canadian conglomerate that owns the Arcadia track and 14 other racing properties.

McCarron, whose Hall of Fame riding career ended in 2002, had been general manager since March 2003.

Haines, who has held several positions during a 33-year career at Santa Anita, will be in charge of day-to-day operations.

Jack McDaniel, president of Santa Anita, said of McCarron, “Chris is going to be the face of Magna. Extending his reach to all of the Magna tracks will be a tremendous thing.”

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The Keeneland meet opened Friday with victories by Runway Model in the $400,000 Alcibiades for 2-year-old fillies and Champali in the Phoenix for sprinters. Runway Model paid $36.40 as the undefeated Sense Of Style, a 3-5 favorite, finished fifth.