Greg’s Gold heads San Carlos

With the issues concerning Santa Anita’s synthetic track finally resolved -- at least for the time being -- the focus heading into Presidents Day weekend is on the racing.

On tap today is the Grade II, $150,000 San Carlos Handicap, with 7-year-old gelding Greg’s Gold heading a field of seven.

Greg’s Gold will be the sentimental favorite, although Surf Cat is the morning line choice. And by race time, the odds may favor Johnny Eves.

Greg’s Gold, who won the On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 22, will carry high weight of 119 pounds, one more than Surf Cat and Johnny Eves. But what makes Greg’s Gold a crowd favorite is his name. The story has become well known.

After the gray colt was born in April 2001 at Harris Ranch in central California, owner Bill Boswell, a Calgary oilman, named the horse in honor of his 16-year-old grandson, Greg.

A week later, Greg Boswell, who had Down syndrome, was hit by a car in a crosswalk. While hospitalized, he developed a blood clot and died.

But there may be more than sentiment favoring Greg’s Gold, who again will be ridden by Victor Espinoza. Besides winning his last race, Greg’s Gold has thrived on synthetic tracks. He is 3-2-1 in six races on those surfaces. Surf Cat, the San Carlos winner last year, will be seeking his first win since being sidelined for 13 months because of foot problems. Before that, Surf Cat had won four in a row.

Today’s San Carlos will be Surf Cat’s fifth start since returning. The comeback began with two seconds, including a 1 1/2 -length loss to Greg’s Gold in the Pat O’Brien Handicap at Del Mar last August.

The 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Sir Cat has finished off the board twice during a career that shows a 7-5-1 record in 15 starts.

Surf Cat’s jockey, Alex Solis, said: “I think he’s coming around. He’s training really well. Like everybody else, we’ve missed a lot of training because of the track and the rain, but I think he’s going to give us a great effort.”

Johnny Eves, an upset winner of the Malibu Stakes on opening day at Santa Anita, drops back to the sprint distance of seven furlongs in the San Carlos after a nose loss to Air Commander in the San Fernando Stakes on Jan. 12.

Sunday’s card features the Daytona Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. The 13-horse field features Notional, a Triple Crown candidate last year before fracturing an ankle in April. Garrett Gomez rides the In Excess colt.

Black Mamba, second to Citronnade in the Dahlia Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 16, heads the field in Monday’s Grade II, $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap.

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larry.stewart@latimes.com