Ron McAnally won his first San Juan Capistrano Handicap in 1980 with the
immortal John Henry. The great gelding was five at the time, about halfway
through his racing career, in which he would earn two Horse of the Year titles.
McAnally, now 80 and a member of racing’s Hall of Fame since 1990, won his
only other San Juan in 1998 with Amerique.
Next Sunday, closing day at Santa Anita, McAnally will send out Argentine
import Interaction in the marathon turf event, now a Grade 2, to be decided at
about 1 3/4 miles.
The seven-year-old horse will be seeking his first U.S. stakes win in his
11th start. He has already finished second in three graded races, last year’s
Eddie Read and Hollywood Turf Cup and the February 9 San Marcos Stakes. Last
time out, Interaction was fourth on March 16 behind runaway San Luis Rey Stakes
winner Bright Thought, who set a world record for 1 1/2 miles on grass in
2:22.72.
In 2009, Interaction won Argentina’s prestigious Gran Premio Carlos
Pelligrini at 1 1/2 miles by three lengths.
“My horse is a distance horse, and he won the Pelligrini and ran second here
in the San Marcos at a mile and a half,” McAnally said. “When he didn’t run well
(in the San Luis Rey), the track was very hard. I think he has some kind of
chance in the San Juan.”
Joe Talamo, who was aboard in the Hollywood Turf Cup and the San Marcos,
rides Interaction in the San Juan.
“I think it’s going to be a perfect distance for him,” Talamo said. “He’s
definitely a mile and a half horse and that extra quarter is going to help him
out a lot.
“He kind of ran into a monster last time,” referring to Bright Thought. “I
think he’s one of the best turf horses around here, if not in the country. The
San Juan should set up real well for Interaction.”
On Sunday, San Juan nominees Smart Ellis and Lime Rickey posted works over
Santa Anita’s fast main track.
Grade 2-placed Smart Ellis, coming off an allowance score, worked one mile in
1:41 for Richard Mandella.
Lime Rickey covered six furlongs in 1:14 3/5 for Bill Spawr, who claimed him
for $25,000 three starts back. The Lemon Drop Kid gelding was Grade 2-placed as
a sophomore back in 2009.
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