The California Flag Handicap, named for the High Card Ranch's homebred millionaire who won the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, is part of the lucrative CTBA sponsored Golden State Series for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up.

Breaking from the far outside in a field of nine, Indian Peak was sixth, about five lengths off the lead at the half-mile mark while well within himself. Six-wide and on the move at the dirt crossing, Indian Peak pinned his ears and outran North County Guy late in a thriller.

“He felt really comfortable, he's a nice horse,” said Hernandez, who won yesterday's California Distaff Handicap run down the hill with Warren's Showtime. “He tries all the time. I rode him before, maybe three or four times (when based at Golden Gate Fields, dating back to December of 2019) and he's the kind of horse that always comes with a run at the end.

“Peter Miller told me to just sit there and make one run and then before the quarter pole, before we crossed the dirt, he started running, so I just let him run. He picked the lead right after we crossed the dirt and we were fighting the inside and outside (horses), but we made it…”

Most recently a well-beaten fifth by North County Guy in 1 1/16-mile turf allowance as the 7-5 favorite on Aug. 20 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Indian Peak was off at 16-1 and paid $35.80, $11.20, and $5.40.

A 4-year-old California-bred gelding by Comic Strip out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, Indian Peak, who was originally conditioned by Golden Gate Fields-based Quinn Howey, is currently owned by Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable.

A winner of Santa Anita's Snow Chief Stakes in only his third start at age three on June 20, 2020, Indian Peak registered his second stakes win today and improved his overall race record to 20-6-3-1. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $333,532.

The 7-5 favorite, North County Guy ran too good to lose, finishing a head in front of Unbridled Ethos. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, North County Guy paid $3.40 and $2.60.

With Ricky Gonzalez up, Unbridled Ethos was off at 9-1 and paid $5.00 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths clear of Whooping Jay, who lacked racing room turning for home.

Fractions on the race were :22.00, :44.06, and 1:06.65.

Live racing resumes with first post time for an eight-race card on Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific.

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A five-year-old full horse by Boisterous trained by Steve Knapp for owner Ron Thomsen, Loud Mouth's lone grass win came in a $32,000 claiming sprint at Santa Anita on Feb. 17, 2020.

“He's got plenty of speed for Abel (Cedillo) to come out of the gate and place the horse where he wants,” Knapp said. “The horse is doing very well right now. He had a three-month rest because he needed it. Now he's starting to come around again.”

Winner of the $100,000 Cary Grant for Cal-breds at Del Mar last Nov. 22, Loud Mouth has eight wins from 29 starts with earnings of $374,070.

“Ron's been with me for three or four years and we've done well together,” Knapp said. “He's got nine horses with me now.”

The California Flag goes as race seven of nine with a 1 p.m. first post time: Give Me the Lute, Kent Desormeaux, 3-1; Ground Attack, Edwin Maldonado, 20-1; Tiger Dad, Victor Espinoza, 20-1; North County Guy, Umberto Rispoli, 5-2; Loud Mouth, Abel Cedillo, 8-1; Unbridled Ethos, Ricardo Gonzalez, 12-1; Whooping Jay Joe Bravo, 4-1; Desmond Doss, Kyle Frey, 6-1; and Indian Peak, Juan Hernandez, 6-1.

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One such Cal-bred is Loud Mouth, claimed for $40,000 in July 2019 and winner of two subsequent restricted stales, the Cary Grant at Del Mar last Nov. 22 and the E.B. Johnston when promoted from second Sept. 12 at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

A full horse by Boisterous, the versatile five-year-old is trained by Steve Knapp for principal owner Ron Thomsen.

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Trainers Ben Cecil, Mark Glatt, and Peter Miller each have two nominated among the 16 for the Distaff, for fillies and mares three and up at about 6 ½ furlongs on the downhill turf course.

Doug O'Neill has three of the 19 nominated to the California Flag, for three-year-olds and up also at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

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Away alertly from his outside post, Galilean tracked pacesetter Mikes Tiznow and Ricardo Gonzalez into and around the far turn and was one length off of him a quarter mile out.  As Mikes Tiznow began to shorten stride, Galilean drifted inward some, causing Gonzalez to steady at the sixteenth pole and from there, Galilean was able to outrun Ultimate Bango late.

“Unfortunately, my horse didn't want to switch leads and he was hanging in the whole way,” said Rispoli, who had ridden him for the first time at Del Mar on Aug. 23.  “I was obligated to just ride it with him and to try to make him as straight as I can, but he's a huge horse.  I got (the win) because he was the (best) horse in the race.”

Fifth to world-class turf miler Mo Forza in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Handicap on turf Aug. 23, Galilean was off as the 3-2 favorite in a field of five California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up and paid $5.00, $3.00 and $2.20.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Denise Barker, William Sandbrook, John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, Galilean, who is out of the El Prado mare Fresia, notched his sixth win, all stakes, in his 12th career start.  With the winner's share of $60,000, he now has earnings of $577,098.

“He's a really good horse,” said Sadler who took over training duties five starts back on Feb. 29, 2020.  “This is the third stakes we've won with him. … He's got so much class.  We changed things up today, running short, but we added blinkers and as you saw, he's got a ton of natural speed. Long range, it's exciting because these Uncle Mo's are becoming great stud prospects and that's very encouraging for him.

“We're excited about the new turf chute here at Santa Anita and we'll look at running him in a stake going six and a half (furlongs) this winter.  We'll probably stick with the state-bred program, there's just so much money there.”

Ultimate Bango, who was also adding blinkers in his first start for Mark Glatt, tracked Galilean to the far turn, kept inside of Mikes Tiznow through the stretch drive while making the lead inside the furlong pole, but couldn't keep the winner safe late.  Off at 9-2 with Abel Cedillo, Ultimate Bango paid $5.00 and $3.20 while finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of Rookie Mistake.

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Rookie Mistake finished well at 9-1 and paid $4.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.71, 45.09 and 56.29.

Named for the Hi Card Ranch-bred winner of the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, the California Flag is for eligible California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up and is part of the lucrative Golden State Series, which is sponsored by the CTBA.

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