Texcess Goes for Dry Look in San Rafael

Texcess, a 3-year-old gelding who has won his last three races, was on his way to Golden Gate Fields, near San Francisco, in a van Thursday, but he didn’t get far. Trainer Paul Aguirre had second thoughts and sent his horse back to the barn at Hollywood Park.

This is what can happen when a trainer enters a horse in a couple of stakes races at different tracks on the same day. Instead of running in the $100,000 Golden Gate Derby today, Texcess will go in the $150,000 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Santa Anita track has dried out from the heavy January rains, whereas Golden Gate is still being punished. For safety reasons, Golden Gate ran only three races Thursday and then canceled the rest of the card. “The track up there wasn’t drying out well,” Aguirre said.

Texcess would have been favored in either race, but while he was an odds-on choice at Golden Gate, he’s 5-2 on the morning line at Santa Anita. The local field includes Kirkendahl, who’s owned by country music star Toby Keith and is undefeated in two tries; and Spanish Chestnut and Chips Are Down, a couple of colts who cost a total of almost $1 million when they were bought at auction.

The San Rafael is one of the early preps for Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Lion Heart, second to Imperialism in last year’s running, was second in the Derby and won the Haskell Handicap to become one of the 2003’s top 3-year-olds.

Texcess, a California-bred, was bought for $85,000 last year as an unraced 2-year-old and has already earned $725,427. Most of that came when he won the $1-million Delta Downs Jackpot at the track in Vinton, La. Texcess’ only loss came in his first start, in September, when he finished second to Beat The Chalk at Fairplex Park. He won the California Cup Juvenile a month later at Santa Anita.

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Instead of running in today’s San Fernando, Rock Hard Ten, winner of the opening-day Malibu, will go straight into the Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds Feb. 5.

With Rock Hard Ten on the sidelines, the post-time favorite for the San Fernando might be Imperialism, even though he has lost six in a row and hasn’t won in more than 10 months. Imperialism, second in the Santa Anita Derby and third in the Kentucky Derby, returns to dirt after two races on grass at the end of last year.

Richard Mandella, who trains Rock Hard Ten, will try to win the San Fernando with Action This Day or Minister Eric. After running 1-2 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2003, their 3-year-old seasons didn’t pan out. Action This Day was winless in five tries last year, and beat only two horses in an allowance race Dec. 26. Minister Eric, 16th in the Kentucky Derby, never threatened in the Malibu.

Indian Country is the only San Fernando starter coming in off a win. Indian Country has won three in a row, but this will be his first start in a stake.

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Facing almost the same field she would have run against last Sunday before the card was canceled, Sweet Catomine will try to win the Santa Ysabel Stakes this Sunday. This will be the filly’s first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in October. Sweet Catomine worked three furlongs in an impressive 35 seconds Thursday.