Kiss Today Goodbye scores San Antonio upset; Mucho Gusto 4th

Kiss Today Goodbye and Hall of Famer Mike Smith unleashed a furious late rally to go from last-to-first and spring a 15-1 upset in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday. 

A 3-year-old facing older rivals, Kiss Today Goodbye lagged at the rear of the six-horse field as 25-1 long shot Take The One O One set a pace of 23.83 and 47.81 for the opening half mile while pressed on the outside by odds-on favorite Mucho Gusto, who was making his first start since the Saudi Cup in February for trainer Bob Baffert.

Also up near the front was the promising 3-year-old Idol, who was making his stakes debut for trainer Richard Baltas. Take the One O One continued on the lead through six furlongs in 1:11.42 when Mucho Gusto and John Velazquez ranged up to the outside and looked poised to draw off from the field. Mucho Gusto failed to sustain his momentum, and with Idol moving up the rail, it made it three in a line for the final furlong.

As that trio battled to the wire, swooping along the outside came Kiss Today Goodbye, who surged to the front and then held a stubborn Idol at bay to win by a half length in a final time of 1:43.37 for 1 1/16 miles. Take The One O One edged Much Gusto for third. 

"The race was shaping up for him with the speed up front and when it came time to run, he took off," Smith said of the winner. "I just guided him around the track.”

The field was reduced by two when Sharp Samurai, the 5-2 second choice; and Combatant, winner of this year's Santa Anita Handicap (G1), were both scratched earlier in the day.

Trained by Ian Kruljac, Kiss Today Goodbye paid $33.60 as the second longest shot on the board. The son of Cairo Prince was entering off a win in a first-level allowance going a mile at Del Mar on Nov. 16.

"Mike gave him a perfect ride," Kruljac said on TVG. "The pace gods were on our side today."

A $150,000 auction purchase as a yearling, Kiss Today Goodbye improves to 11: 3-0-3 with more than $200,000 in earnings. In his only previous stakes tries, he was third in the Shared Belief at Del Mar this summer before switching to turf and running fifth in the Del Mar Derby (G2) and fourth in the Twilight Derby.

"He was always really mature when he was younger and it just took him a while to get to where he is," Kruljac said. "I think he's really just starting to mature."

This story will be updated.