Texas Ryano heads competitive field of 14 in San Marcos

Graded stakes winner Texas Ryano heads a very competitive field of 14 older males in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Marcos Stakes for 4-year-olds and up going 1 ¼ miles over the turf course at Santa Anita Park.

Trained by Carla Gaines and owned and bred in Kentucky by Warren B. Williamson, Texas Ryano comes off a Grade II win in the 1 ½ miles Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 25 earning the 6-year-old gelding by Curlin a 105 Beyer speed figure in the process.

A third place finisher in the Grade II, 1 3/8 miles Del Mar (turf) Handicap on Aug. 20 and a second place finisher in the Grade II, 1 ¼ miles John Henry Turf Handicap on Oct. 2, Texas Ryano still managed 100 and 101 Beyer speed figures respectively, even in defeat.

In 18 lifetime starts, Texas Ryano has a record of 5-3-3 demonstrating a 61% “in the money” percentage and has amassed earnings of $438,355.

Most recently a winner of the Grade III, 1 1/8 miles San Gabriel Stakes, originally slated to be run on the grass but moved to the main track due to weather, Blue Tone will try turf for the first time on Saturday in his fourth consecutive added money attempt.

Trained by Bob Hess, Jr. and owned by Beverly Engelberg, Schroeder Farms, LLC and Jan Steeper, Blue Tone is an 8-year-old gelding by Birdstone. He is 25-7-4-3 overall with lifetime earnings of $558,870.

THE GRADE II SAN MARCOS STAKES IN POST POSITION ORDER WITH JOCKEYS AND WEIGHTS

Race 9 of 9 - Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PST

1.   A Red Tie Day, Corey Nakatani, 119

2.   Flamboyant, Brice Blanc, 121

3.   Itsinthepost, Tyler Baze, 119

4.   Blue Tone, Martin Garcia, 121

5.   Texas Ryano, Joe Talamo, 124

6.   Power Ped, Stewart Elliott, 119

7.   Gustnado, Rafael Bejarano, 119

8.   Perfectly Majestic, Kent Desormeaux, 119

9.   Conquest Daddyo, Luis Contreras, 119

10. Some in Tieme, Tiago Pereira, 121

11. Isotherm, Flavien Prat, 119

12. Hi Happy, Altair Domingos, 119

13. Twentytwentyvision, Mike Smith, 119