A field of 10 turf runners is set to go to the gate on Sunday in the $150,000
San Gabriel H. (G2) at Santa Anita. The 1 1/8-mile test features the likes of
BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy), who could make his final career start here
before heading off to stud duties at Ramsey Farm near Lexington, Kentucky.
Trained by Bobby Frankel, the soon-to-be six-year-old captured the Hal’s Hope
H. (G3) in his first start this season before going on to take the New Orleans
H. (G2) at Fair Grounds and run second in the National Jockey Club H. (G3) at
Hawthorne. Badge of Silver finished off the board in his last two starts and
will be making his turf debut in the San Gabriel as the 118-pound highweight.
CHOCTAW NATION (Louis Quatorze) will also be making his first start on the
grass Sunday. The Jeff Mullins trainee is coming off a sixth in the Breeders’
Cup Classic (G1), which was only his second worse than fourth-place finish from
seven starts this year. He successfully defended his title in the San Diego H.
(G2) during the summer and will have Victor Espinoza aboard.
American H. (G2) hero WHILLY (Ire) (Sri Pekan) will be looking to redeem
himself on Sunday after being disqualified from second and placed fifth in the
Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship S. (G1) last out. The bay scored in one
other race this year, that coming in his first start back on January 22 in the
San Marcos S. (G2).
The complete field for the San Gabriel, with riders and weights, is ESTEVAN
(Grand Slam), Jon Court, 115; RHYTHM MAD (Fr) (King’s Theatre [Ire]), Alex
Solis, 117; HENDRIX (Sultry Song), Corey Nakatani, 114; BURNING SUN (Danzig),
Garrett Gomez, 115; Badge of Silver, Patrick Valenzuela; Whilly, Felipe
Martinez, 117; ATLANDO (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]), Martin Pedroza, 116; Choctaw
Nation, 116; TOASTED (Hennessy), Jose Valdivia Jr., 117; and DON INCAUTO (Arg)
(Roy), David Flores, 117.