Santa Anita’s Big ‘Cap Turns Into Big Mystery

Less than a week ago, the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap almost looked like a foregone conclusion.

Mizzen Mast, who already had two graded stakes victories at the meet--including the Strub Stakes on Feb. 2--would have been a solid favorite Saturday.

Now, with the 4-year-old son of Cozzene, arguably the country’s best horse, sidelined because of a foot injury, the 65th Santa Anita Handicap has become one of the most wide open in the storied history of the race.

The size of the field alone suggests there are no standouts or thoroughbreds scaring anybody away. In fact, none of the anticipated participants has ever won a Grade I.

When post positions were drawn Wednesday morning, 14 were entered in the Big ‘Cap, the largest field for the $1-million event since 17 participated in 1983. On that day, Bates Motel and jockey Terry Lipham dominated, winning by 21/2 lengths before an on-track crowd of 66,007.

Even in the absence of Mizzen Mast, trainer Bobby Frankel could be in a position to win his first Santa Anita Handicap.

Jeff Tufts, the track’s longtime morning line maker, believes the hall of famer will be saddling the favorite Saturday. He established the Frankel-trained and Frank Stronach-owned entry of Euchre and Milwaukee Brew the 7-2 choice.

If the entry does indeed start as the favorite at those odds, it will be the highest-priced public choice since Lightning Mandate was also 7-2 in 1976. He finished third under jockey Angel Cordero Jr., beaten by Royal Glint and Ancient Title.

Euchre is the better half of the duo.

A 6-year-old gelded son of Personal Flag, he has won six of 19 and has not been worse than second in his last five appearances. Since returning after five months on the shelf, he has been second in three consecutive stakes races.

On Dec. 9 at Hollywood Park, he was second in the Native Diver Handicap, then was beaten by a head by Wooden Phone in the San Pasqual, then chased Redattore home in the San Antonio Handicap on Super Bowl Sunday.

“The 11/4 miles will be right up his alley,” said Garrett Gomez, Euchre’s regular rider. “Every race leading up to this one he’s been improving. He’s doing very well. It looks like there will be plenty of pace in the race, so we’ll just fall away from there and see what happens.”

Kent Desormeaux, who is Mizzen Mast’s regular jockey, has taken the mount on Milwaukee Brew.

A 5-year-old Wild Again horse, he was fifth at 5-2 in the Whirlway Handicap on Feb. 10 at the New Orleans Fair Grounds in his first race for Frankel. He is a winner of four of 14 lifetime.

The 9-2 second choice on Tufts’ line is Futural, who did have a Grade I in his grasp last summer at Hollywood Park. However, after crossing the wire first in the Hollywood Gold Cup, he was disqualified on a controversial call and placed second behind the Frankel-trained Aptitude.

Since then, the 6-year-old Future Storm gelding is winless in three starts. He finished second in the San Diego behind Del Mar specialist Skimming, then went to the sidelines after finishing last, beaten by 221/2 lengths, in the Pacific Classic.

In his first race after a layoff, Futural, who is trained by Craig Dollase for a partnership, was third, beaten by 51/2 lengths going a flat mile. The Big ‘Cap distance will suit him better and he has won four times in Arcadia.

Like Frankel, Richard Mandella will be saddling two Saturday.

A winner of the race with Siphon in 1997 and Malek in 1998, Mandella will send out Cagney, an 8-1 longshot, and 15-1 outsider Kudos.

With Cagney, the trainer has no concerns about the distance. The Brazilian-bred son of Roy will run all day; his biggest victory in this country came in the Carleton F. Burke Handicap at 11/2 miles last fall.

The question is the main track. Cagney hasn’t run on dirt since he finished sixth of seven in his Brazilian debut on Feb. 20, 2000.

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He also has the first post position, which has seldom led to success in the Big ‘Cap. Since the first Santa Anita Handicap in 1935, only two horses have won from that spot. One was Mr. Right, who beat 14 rivals in 1968. The other was the aforementioned Malek, who had to beat only three horses in a forgettable renewal four years ago.

“He’s trained extremely well the last couple of works,” said Cagney’s rider, Mike Smith. “If he runs like he’s been training, he’ll be very tough to beat. He’s a tough, old horse so the dirt kicked back at him shouldn’t bother him. He’s been a lot more aggressive in his works.”

The overflow field will have 12 betting interests. Besides Euchre and Milwaukee Brew, coupled as the mutuel field are Dig For It, who managed to run third in last year’s Pacific Classic, and Last Parade.

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How They Stack Up

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