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Newgrange Eyes Dubai World Cup After San Pasqual Win

Newgrange (Violence) was doing well the morning after successfully defending his title in Saturday's GII San Pasqual Stakes and becoming racing's newest millionaire, according to his trainer, Phil D'Amato.

“He came out of the race in great shape,” said D'Amato, who collected his fifth stakes win at the Classic Meet to lead all trainers.

Ridden for the first time Saturday by Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza, Newgrange broke on top and was never headed to score by a length as the 2-1 second choice. Newgate (Into Mischief), the 8-5 favorite for Bob Baffert, stalked Newgrange throughout the 1 1/8-mile dirt test but could not get to the winner. He checked in second, three-quarters of a length ahead of 11-1 longshot Mixto for trainer Doug O'Neill.

D'Amato offered praise to both his horse and rider for the performance. Espinoza rationed Newgrange through fractions of 23.27, 47.55 and 1:12.10 before crossing the wire in 1:49.26. The effort earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form's Brad Free.

“They controlled the pace and didn't look back,” D'Amato said. “You have to give Victor credit for getting good position, setting the right pace and having enough left.”

For 51-year-old Espinoza, who swept the 2015 Triple Crown with American Pharoah, the win was the 3,509^th of his career. It was just his second graded stakes win since 2022. Last year, Espinoza's lone graded-stakes tally came in the GII John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita with Balladeer for trainer George Papaprodromou.

As for Newgrange, a trip to the Middle East could be in the near future. D'Amato said it's possible they take a shot in the GI, $12 million Dubai World Cup at 1 ¼ miles on March 30 at Meydan Racecourse.

“Judging by what the owners were saying yesterday, I think that's what they are leaning towards,” D'Amato said. “But it's still a long way between now and the end of March.”
Newgrange is a 5-year-old Violence full horse owned by David Bernsen, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch. With the fifth graded stakes win of his career, he upped his record to 7-0-4 in 13 starts with $1,007,634 in earnings.

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Frontrunning Tizamagician ‘Doing Real Well’ Ahead Of San Pasqual

Richard Mandella was a relatively young pup of 33 when he won the 1983 San Pasqual Stakes for the first time, with a horse named Regal Falcon ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye.

In 2005, he captured his second San Pasqual, this time with Congrats under Tyler Baze. On Saturday the Hall of Fame trainer, now a sprightly 70, sends out committed front-runner Tizamagician in a bid for number three at Santa Anita Park.

A 4-year-old Tiznow colt, Tizamagician won an overnight race in game fashion last out on Jan. 2, leading throughout as is his wont. It was his first race in more than three months.

“He likes to be in front and came off a nice win,” Mandella said of the four-old Kentucky-bred colt owned by MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, who will be ridden for the fourth straight time by Drayden Van Dyke.

Mandella was speaking of an overnight victory Jan. 2 at a mile and one-sixteenth, Tizamagician's first race in more than three months.

“He's doing real well,” said Mandella, who could use the San Pasqual as a steppingstone to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, a race the Hall of Fame trainer has won three times, with Siphon in 1997, Malek in 1998 and Rock Hard Ten in 2005.

“That makes sense,” Mandella said, alluding to the San Pasqual as a logical forerunner to the Big 'Cap, Santa Anita's marquee race for older horses, which will be presented for the 84th time this year.

The San Pasqual, race five: Tizamagician, Drayden Van Dyke, 9-2; Idol, Gabriel Saez, 9-5; King Guillermo, Abel Cedillo, 2-1; Express Train, Juan Hernandez, 2-1; and Zestful, Edwin Maldonado, 15-1.

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Locals Idol, Tizamagician Face Off With Florida Invader King Guillermo In Saturday’s San Pasqual

The Richard Baltas-trained Idol, Richard Mandella's Tizamagician and Florida invader King Guillermo head a compact field of five older horses going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita. To be run for the 83rd time, the San Pasqual is an iconic prep to the G1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6.

Lightly raced Idol, who is owned by Calvin Nguyen, was attentive to the pace en route to a close second place finish going a mile and one sixteenth in the G2 San Antonio Stakes here on Dec. 26 and will once again get the services of eastern-based Gabriel Saez on Saturday. An impressive seven furlong maiden winner in his second start at Churchill Downs Sept. 26, Idol, a 4-year-old colt by Curlin out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, then aired by 5 ¾ lengths in a mile and three-sixteenths allowance at Churchill Nov. 8.

With two wins and as many seconds from his four career starts, Idol appears poised to have a big 4-year-old campaign for Baltas.

With an overall mark of 13-3-5-0, Tizamagician, a 4-year-old colt by Tiznow, comes off an outstanding second condition allowance win on Jan. 2, a race in which he led throughout and took by a half length at 4-1. Although he'll be facing a G2 winner in King Guillermo, Tizamagician has the advantage of a sharp recent win over the track as he once again runs out of his own stall for Mandella.

A close fourth in last year's G3 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita, Tizamagician, who is owned by MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, will again be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, who has guided him to a pair of victories in his last four starts.

A disappointing fourth, beaten 12 ¼ lengths after pressing the early pace in the one turn Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct Dec. 5, trainer Juan Avila's King Guillermo had been since running second in a division of the Grade I Arkansas Derby on May 2 and may've been in need of the race. Owned by Victoria's Ranch, nom de course for retired five-time All Star catcher Victor Martinez, King Guillermo, 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, was an upset winner of the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby three starts back on March 7 and was subsequently off at 9-2 in the Arkansas Derby.

In what will be his first start west of the Mississippi River, King Guillermo ships west from his Gulfstream Park base and will be ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo in what will be his seventh career start.

Second to top rated Charlatan going seven furlongs in the opening day Malibu Dec. 26, C R K Stable's Express Train will be ridden back by leading man Juan Hernandez and with a career-top Beyer Speed figure of 99 in-hand, rates a solid shot in what will be his eighth career start. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train was well off the early pace in the Malibu, but has proven very effective when on or near the lead going two turns.

THE GRADE 2 SAN PASQUAL STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 8 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

Tizamagician—Drayden Van Dyke—120
Idol—Gabriel Saez—120
King Guillermo—Abel Cedillo—122
Express Train—Juan Hernandez—120
Zestful—Edwin Maldonado—120

First post time for an eight-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet.

The post Locals Idol, Tizamagician Face Off With Florida Invader King Guillermo In Saturday’s San Pasqual appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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