NEWS
Cowboy Cal narrowly prevails in San Pasqual
Posted: Saturday, January 10, 2009 8:54 PM
COWBOY CAL
Benoit & Associates photo
by Jeff Apel
Multiple graded stakes winner Cowboy Cal set a swift pace and turned back runner-up Informed’s late charge to win the $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap (G2) by a nose on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
Cowboy Cal dueled for the early lead with Ball Four and led Grade 1 winner and 3-to-2 favorite Well Armed by one length in early stretch. Despite drifting out approaching the finish, Cowboy Cal gamely held on in the closing strides and earned his third graded stakes win.
A Robert and Janice McNair homebred trained by Todd Pletcher, Cowboy Cal opened the 2008 season by winning the Tropical Park Derby (G3) at Calder Race Course. The Giant’s Causeway colt also won the 2008 Bryan Station Stakes (G3) at Keeneland Race Course.
Cowboy Cal was positioned away from the inside rail at the start of the San Pasqual and led Ball Four by a head through an opening quarter in :23.25. After increasing his lead to a half-length on the backstretch, Cowboy Cal opened a one-length advantage through six furlongs in 1:10.25.
Informed rallied four wide from sixth in a field of nine but could not overtake Cowboy Cal, who dug in with determination in the closing strides and won the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:41.26 on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface.
“I wanted to sit just off the speed, but when I took a hold of him going to the first turn, he took off,” jockey John Velazquez said. “I thought I’d be able to get him to rate, but he was very difficult to settle.
“On the backside, I was able to get him to relax and when they came to him at the top of the stretch, I had a lot of horse. It seemed like he waited on the other horses but when he got into the competition, he fought back.”
Informed, a 28.90-to-1 longshot ridden by Michael Baze, finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of Grade 3 winner and third-place finisher Magnum (Arg). Well Armed loomed boldly at the top of the stretch but faded to fourth.
Four-year-old Cowboy Cal concluded his previous season with a runner-up finish to Court Vision in the Hollywood Derby (G1) on November 30. Following a runner-up finish in the 2008 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course, Cowboy Cal finished ninth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
Cowboy Cal posted his fifth win in ten starts and increased his earnings to $597,708. Bred in Kentucky, Cowboy Cal is one of three winners from as many starters out of the Seeking the Gold mare Texas Tammy, a half sister to multiple Grade 1 winner and sire Behrens.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
