Strong Wind Goes Down the Dip at Santa Anita

Strong Wind has never raced on Santa Anita’s unique downhill turf course at about 6 ½ furlongs, but on paper at least, he should appreciate the added furlong-plus over the five furlong grass sprints he’s been competing in when he runs in the $100,000 California Flag Handicap on Saturday.

“I don’t think the extra distance hurts him, let’s put it that way,” said Mark Glatt, who trains the California-bred son of Tribal Rule for Gino Roncelli and Bill and Sue Tomasic.

“Except for the fact that he’s never run on this course, going down the hill and crossing over the dirt, he’s run well in straight turf sprints before. But he’s pretty adaptable.

“He’s a nice little race horse, so I expect he’ll handle it fine.”

Strong Wind had three starts in five-furlong turf sprints at Del Mar, winning once with a second and a third, each time finishing well to be only a neck behind the winner. The chestnut colt has a 3-3-3 record from 13 starts, with earnings of $254,844.

The field for the inaugural California Flag Handicap: Tiz A Minister, Martin Garcia, 6-1; A Toast to You, Mario Gutierrez, 12-1; Circa’sgoldengear, Victor Espinoza, 8-1; Atta Boy Pete, Julien Leparoux, 5-1; Starspangled Heat, Corey Nakatani, 5-1; Mobilized, Joe Talamo, 8-1; Ain’t No Other, Rafael Bejarano, 7-2; Dixieland Blues, Edwin Maldonado, 20-1; Strong Wind, Gary Stevens, 3-1; and Luckarack, Martin Pedroza, 10-1.