Nothing succeeds quite like Texcess

In what might have been the two most eagerly awaited events on California Cup Day at Santa Anita, a lengthy losing streak came to an end one race before a remarkable winning streak was stopped.

Texcess, who had lost 16 in a row since taking the Delta Jackpot nearly two years ago at Delta Downs in Louisiana, beat Cheroot and seven others to win the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic, the richest of 10 stakes restricted to Cal-breds on Saturday.

About 30 minutes later, Cambiocorsa, the prohibitive favorite in the $150,000 Distaff, was beaten for the first time in nine starts on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.

River’s Prayer, an 18-1 shot, led throughout under jockey Clinton Potts in the about 6 1/2 -furlong Distaff. Cambiocorsa had to settle for third under the high weight of 125 pounds.

In winning by three-quarters of a length under jockey Victor Espinoza, Texcess, the 7-2 second choice, ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.38.

“I thought he was going to win easier than he did when we turned for home,” Espinoza said, “but [Cheroot] kept fighting. I had to keep after my horse. I had to make him run. I know it had been a long time since he had won, but I really believed it was time for him to win a race now.”

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Trainer, breeder and co-owner Bill Currin had his second upset in a 2-year-old stakes race during the Oak Tree meet when 12-1 shot Freesgood won the $125,000 Juvenile. Currin and partner Al Eisman had won the Norfolk three weeks earlier with Stormello.

This was the second stakes victory of the afternoon for jockey Alex Solis, who had ridden Special Heather to a win in the $100,000 Distance Handicap. Moscow Burning, the 9-10 favorite in the race, was fourth in what was probably her final start. She is expected to be sold at Keeneland next month.

Texcess wasn’t the only success on Saturday for Espinoza. He also won the $150,000 Matron with 2-5 favorite Somethinaboutlaura and the $150,000 Sprint with 1-2 choice Da Stoops. The win by Da Stoops was the first Cal Cup victory for trainer Bob Baffert since 1997. Baffert remains tops among all trainers with eight Cal Cup winners.

Another upset was provided by 8-1 shot Epic Power in the $175,000 Mile, holding on by a head over 19-1 Running Free.

Mike Mitchell, who trains Texcess for owners Wayne and Scott Anastasi and Carl Van Burger, also won the finale, scoring with 5-1 shot Romance Is Diane in the $125,000 Juvenile Fillies.

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In the day’s first two races, Wind Water won for the fifth time in eight tries at Santa Anita, going wire to wire in the $50,000 Starter Sprint Handicap, and Phar To Win won his fourth in a row since returning from a layoff of about 1 1/2 years, leading throughout in the $50,000 Starter Handicap.

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Jockey Carlos Bautista, who rides primarily at Los Alamitos, was given a one-year suspension by the California Horse Racing Board for the use of an electrical device, commonly known as a buzzer, before a race at Fairplex Park last month.

After a two-day hearing before the stewards at Oak Tree, Bautista was found to have violated CHRB rules regarding “possession of contraband” and “animal welfare” for using a buzzer on the quarter horse Royal Medallion before the third race on Sept. 24. Bautista was not accused of using the buzzer during the race. Royal Medallion finished third.

The suspension begins Wednesday and continues through Oct. 31, 2007.

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com