Aase Headley and Marsha Naify’s SURF CAT (Sir Cat) proved much the best
Sunday in the $128,000
Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) at Santa Anita. Jockey Alex Solis was
content to drop back in fourth of the five-horse pack, where he rated through
fractions of :21 3/5 and :44 1/5 as Areyoutalkintome (Smokester) and Keep on
Punching (Silver Deputy) battled it out in the early going. Surf Cat then began
his move toward the front, swinging wide into the stretch under a hand ride from
Solis, and breezed past his opponents to win going away. The Bruce Headley
trainee was 2 1/4 lengths clear at the wire, completing the 6 1/2-furlong
fast-track affair in 1:15.
“I just had to hold on,” Solis said. “He’s just a good horse. He’ll do some
great things. God willing, he stays healthy.”
Sent off as the heavy 1-5 favorite, Surf Cat posted returns of $2.40, $2.10
and $2.10. Grinding It Out (Grindstone), who briefly held the lead at the
six-furlong point, managed to come in second and give back $2.60 and $2.10 at
5-1. Oceanus (Brz) (Rainbow Corner [GB]) rounded out the top three 1 1/2 lengths
farther back, returning $2.10 for the show at 28-1. Areyoutalkintome and Keep on
Punching completed the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by William Nicholls and Gainesway Farm, the four-year-old
colt is out of the winning Trust Greta (Centrust) and counts himself as a
half-brother to Grade 3 winner Rosie O’Greta (Fight Over) as well as an unnamed
yearling colt by Rahy.
“I’m not going to the Met Mile (G1),” Bruce Headley said. “I’m going to
Hollywood to the Mervin LeRoy (G2) (May 13), the Californian (G2) (June 17) and
the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) (July 8). He got the luck of the draw and he got the
luck of the break. He was lucky all the way.”
With this win, Surf Cat improves his record to 10-6-3-0
with $472,400 in earnings. He also scored in the Swaps Breeders’ Cup S. (G2)
last year and the San Carlos H. (G2) prior to this one. Surf Cat entered the sales ring twice in 2003,
the first time selling for $25,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed
Sale and RNA’ing at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale at $45,000.