Santa Anita: Newgrange seeks another win in San Pasqual
In what appears to be a wide-open affair, Phil D’Amato’s 5-year-old Newgrange merits top billing as he takes on seven rivals at 1 1/8 miles in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita. To be run for the 86th time, the San Pasqual is a traditional steppingstone to the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 2.
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Ridden for the first time by Irad Ortiz Jr. in the San Antonio (G2) on Dec. 26, Newgrange stalked the pace while second to the top of the lane and unfurled the best performance of his career as he came away with a 2 1/4-length score to earn a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.
Newgrange’s connections will hope for a similar performance with Victor Espinoza engaged for the first time. A winner of last year’s San Pasqual, Newgrange has a win and two thirds from three lifetime tries at 1 1/8 miles.
A full horse by Violence, out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, and owned by Rockingham Ranch, David Bernsen and Little Red Feather Racing, Newgrange is 4-for-6 at Santa Anita and is a four-time graded-stakes winner, dating back to Jan. 1, 2022, when he was trained by Bob Baffert as a newly turned 3-year-old.
With six wins and four third place finishes from 12 career starts, he has earnings of $887,634.
Bob Baffert will be well represented by a pair of starters, Newgate and Mr Fisk.
Newgate, who had been idle since winning the Robert B. Lewis (G3) on Feb. 3, ran a big second to talented Big City Lights going 6 1/2 furlongs in a second-condition allowance Jan. 6 and should improve stretching out with a recent race to his credit.
In what was his first start against older company, Newgate, who was fanned five wide turning for home while about 3 1/2 lengths off the lead, kept to his task gamely under Frankie Dettori, and Big City Lights was fully extended to win by a half-length.
With Dettori at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Newgate will be ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario as he bids for his second stakes victory. Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et al, Newgate, a 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief, has a bankroll of $255,775 from an overall mark of 7: 2-3-0.
Mr Fisk, a Sunny Brook Stables homebred 4-year-old colt by Arrogate, rates a huge chance off of two powerful stakes wins at Del Mar, an eight-length score in the one-mile Shared Belief Sept. 3 and a 1 1/4-length win in the Native Diver (G3) at 1 1/8 miles on Nov. 26, both in combination with Juan Hernandez, who rides back on Saturday.
In the Native Diver, his first race against older competition, he defeated stablemate Newgrange by 3 3/4 lengths as he came away from the field in very impressive fashion.
With what appears to be plenty of early speed signed on in the San Pasqual, Mr Fisk should be on the move turning for home as he bids for his third stakes win in a row. Out of the Maduro mare Plein Air, Mr. Fisk, who has registered consecutive Beyers of 91 and 90, has three wins and two seconds from eight career starts and earnings of $185,700.