ARCADIA — The Santa Anita Handicap was watered down by scratches this time. The reactions of the people around upset winner, British Isles, though, lived up to the race’s rich history.
Diego Herrera, a 21-year-old Inglewood native who rode his first Grade I winner beyond the quarter-horse world, said, “I don’t even have words” to describe how he felt.
Richard Baltas, who added a second win in the race to his one with Idol in 2021, sounded as if he couldn’t believe he’s now a multiple Big ’Cap-winning trainer.
“I was 13 when my dad first took me to (Santa Anita). I used to watch Vigors,” said Baltas, 64, referring to a flashy Santa Anita Handicap winner of the 1970s. “I grew up in Huntington Beach. I never really touched a horse until I had a desire to be a horse trainer when I was 23. It’s been a long road.
“I guess I could go to my grave with (this) one.”
Five-year-old British Isles (who paid $16.40) certainly benefited from the scratches of Skippylongstocking and Westwood during the week, which reduced the 89 th Big ’Cap to a small field of five horses, none of whom had won a Grade I or Grade II race. His winning time for 1-1/4 miles, 2:05.17, made it the third slowest Big ’Cap ever and the slowest ever on a track labeled “fast.”
But British Isles did dominate, pulling away to win by 4-1/2 lengths. The California-bred gelding Vodka Vodka finished second, Getaway Car third, 3-5 favorite Just a Touch fourth and Midnight Mammoth last.
It looks good in the history books for Herrera, Baltas and the ownership partnership of Baltas, Slam Dunk Racing and Cynthia McClanahan.
“I was worried (as they came) around the turn,” Baltas said. “I thought (Herrera) was asking him, and I didn’t know if he had anything left. Then, suddenly, he burst away.
“I was ecstatic.”
SPLENDORA STREAKS ONWARD
Splendora’s victory in the Grade I B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile for fillies and mares was so impressive, Bob Baffert entertained regret that he didn’t enter her against males instead.
“Should’ve run her in the Big ’Cap. If it had been a mile and an eighth, I would have,” the trainer said on his way to the winner’s circle.
Splendora ($2.20), the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner, ran her winning streak to five races with a front-running, nearly six-length victory with Juan Hernandez. Her 1:35.16 clocking was the second fastest in 11 1-mile runnings of the race formerly called the Vanity.
THREE FOR JUAN
Hernandez, who’d already won stakes with Splendora and with Potente in the Grade II San Felipe Stakes, added a surprising third when he got Final Boss ($65.40) up by a half-length over favorite El Potente in the Grade II Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf.
It was the 5-year-old’s first win at the graded stakes level.
“We knew there was a lot of (early) speed in this race, so Juan did a great job in laying off the pace and getting him settled,” said Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler. “He made a huge move to get to the line and win.”
ON THE DERBY TRAIL
The Puma ($16.80), ridden by Javier Castellano, came in as a maiden but outfought well-backed Further Ado and Canaletto after a wide trip to win the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby for trainer Gustavo Delgado to claim a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
NEXT UP
Super Corredora and jockey Hector Berrios go into the Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes on Sunday at even money on the morning line as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner tries to redeem herself for finishing fourth and last in her 3-year-old debut.
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