Santa Anita news: World traveler Pavel back home for San Pasqual

World traveler Pavel is back home for Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, and Team O’Neill hopes the gray son of Creative Cause owned by principal client Reddam Racing returns to form for the steppingstone to the March 9 Santa Anita Handicap (G1).

Pavel was never a factor finishing 10th in the Japan's Champions Cup (G1) last out on Dec. 2, but has been working well at Santa Anita for the San Pasqual.

“It didn’t seem like the race in Japan took that much out him. That’s why he’s back Saturday,” said O’Neill's assistant, Leandro Mora. “It was just another trip for the horse, who is OK traveling, but the track was different and he couldn’t get a hold of it. It was very sandy.”

With three wins from 13 starts on tracks including Saratoga, Parx, Belmont, Del Mar, Meydan, Churchill Downs and Chukyo in Japan, in addition to Santa Anita, Pavel has more than paid his way, earning $1,375,000.

SAN PASQUAL START KEY, FOR PETE’S SAKE

Peter Eurton would like to have a decent start for Giant Expectations in Saturday’s San Pasqual Stakes. A six-year-old New York-bred son of Free Giant, Giant Expectations is a notoriously balky gate horse, as the trouble lines in his 14 career starts indicate: “Off slow, fractious gate, off slow, hopped, bobbled start, slow start, slow start.”

“He has to break well,” Eurton said. “He’s had issues, but lately, he’s been standing good in the gate, so we’ll see what happens.”

Great Expectations closed a gap in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs despite yet another tardy beginning.

“It wasn’t a bad start,” Eurton said. “It’s just that the track was not like it was when we ran a month before that (third in the Ack Ack at Churchill on Sept. 29) . . . He’s trained well for this race although this is a tough spot with McKinzie and Battle of Midway, but we’ll be there.”

KEITH DESORMEAUX LOOKS FOR ‘EASY SHOT’ IN LEWIS

Easy Shot is an 8-1 outsider on Jon White’s morning line for Saturday’s Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), but Keith Desormeaux is hoping with better racing luck the son of Trappe Shot can outrun his odds and post an upset in the 1 1/16-mile race for three-year-olds.

“He steadied a couple times (in the Sham Stakes at one mile in which he finished fifth by 3 ¼ lengths on Jan. 5),” the trainer noted. “We’re hoping better luck makes a difference tomorrow.

“It’s about the same field (as the Sham) except for the addition of Mucho Gusto. If we can get a clean trip and finish strong, we’ll see if we have a (Kentucky) Derby horse.”

VAN DYKE LEADS SANTA ANITA JOCKEYS TO 31-27 VICTORY

Led by Drayden Van Dyke, Santa Anita’s jockeys posted a 31-27 victory Thursday night in the 52nd Santa Anita Jockeys vs. Holy Angels Elementary School Charity Basketball Game at La Salle High School in Pasadena.

“Van Dyke was their superstar,” said trainer Jeff Bonde, who attended the game. “There was a terrific crowd; all the seats were filled.”

Proceeds from the game benefit Holy Angels Athletics and the Bill Hartack Charitable Foundation, which contributes to several Thoroughbred racing industry charities and presents the winning rider in each year’s Kentucky Derby with the Hartack Memorial Award.

It is named in honor of the late Hall of Fame jockey, William Hartack, who along with Eddie Arcaro, won the Kentucky Derby a record five times.