Surf Cat won the $150,000 San Carlos Handicap yesterday at Santa Anita for his first victory in almost two years.
The 6-year-old son of Sir Cat had lost four in a row. He had been sidelined for 13 months after winning four consecutive races in 2006.
Ridden by Alex Solis, Surf Cat overtook Greg's Gold deep in the stretch and was a half-length in front at the finish. Soul City Slew finished third.
Johnny Eves, the 19-10 favorite, was sent to the front by Rafael Bejarano, but was pressured early by long-shot Cooperation before Greg's Gold seriously took up the chase through early splits of 23.30 and 45.63.
“Johnny Eves was the horse to beat and Greg's Gold went after him,” Solis said after watching the early action play out from some five lengths behind. I was hoping for a realistic pace and we got it.”
Solis said about three-sixteenths of a mile from the finish his horse “was coming really strong, and when I got him out at the eighth pole, I hit him a few times. Then I was able to turn my stick down, and he finished great.”
Johnny Eves faded to fourth, followed by Circular Quay, Men Only and Cooperation. Surf Cat was clocked in 1:21.62 for the 7 furlongs and paid $7 to win.
Surf Cat's first victory since Hollywood Park's Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on May 13, 2006, was worth $90,000 and raised his career earnings to $795,420 with victories in half his 16 races.
“He's such a good horse,” Solis said. “He's really been coming around the last two weeks. He's coming back to what he was.”
The San Carlos upset was modest compared to some other results in yesterday's Pick Six sequence, which resulted in a two-day carryover of $420,093 into today's program after Turbo Fan won the final race at 52-1.
Fierce Wind wins
Fierce Wind might not be Nick Zito's leading Kentucky Derby hopeful – not as long as the trainer has the undefeated 2-year-old champion War Pass in his barn – but the son of Dixie Union was good enough to win the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, Fierce Wind ($8.80) finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.13 to earn his third straight victory. He defeated Big Truck by a half-length, with Smooth Air third. Z Humor, the 6-5 favorite, faded to fifth.
