San Luis Obispo Field Lacks Star Power

To understand how weak the $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap is, one only has to look at the credentials of the first two choices on the morning line.

License To Run, the 5-2 favorite, is coming off a dismal performance at 9-10 in the San Marcos on Jan. 22. He finished fifth, beaten eight lengths, in a field of six.

Continental Red, the 3-1 second choice, is a 9-year-old gelding who consistently draws a lot of interest but seldom finds the winner’s circle. He is winless in 10 races since the beginning of 2004 and has lost 16 of 17 starts on the Santa Anita turf course.

A Grade II -- for how much longer? -- scheduled to be run at 1 1/2 miles on the grass, the San Luis Obispo attracted six others for its 38th renewal.

Owned by T N T Stud and trained by Bobby Frankel, who last won the Obispo with Fanmore in 1994, License To Run won four of eight in Brazil before coming to California. He ran well in his first in this country, finishing third, beaten by only a neck, in the Hollywood Turf Cup, a Grade I, on Dec. 4 at Hollywood Park. Pat Valenzuela will ride the 5-year-old for the first time today.

Continental Red, fourth in the Sunshine Millions Turf in his last start on Jan. 29, will be making his first start for trainer Adam Kitchingman.

Completing the cast are Gorylla, Special Matter, Californian, Balustrade, T.H. Approval and Sigfreto.

Race of the day: Madcap Escapade, who won four of five starts last year, will make her first start since finishing third in the Kentucky Oaks last April 30 in the $150,000 Shirley Jones Handicap at Gulfstream Park. The Shirley Jones, a Grade II at seven furlongs, is the fourth leg of the Magna Five.

One for the road: Ide Be A Lady is a candidate to lead throughout as she steps up to face stakes company in the $125,000 Bayou Breeders’ Cup Handicap at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride the 4-year-old daughter of Ide in the Grade III at about 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Alphabetic in the seventh, Greeley’s Galaxy, Customer and Blue Prince in the eighth and Special Matter, Continental Red, License To Run, T.H. Approval and Sigfreto in the ninth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/104. Money: Previous day/meet total: $10/$557.40. Total money bet: $680.