On paper, the San Antonio appeared to be a two-horse race between Breeders' Cup Classic winner and 2-1 second choice Pleasantly Perfect, and multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Congaree, the odds-on favorite at 2-5. A compact field of just four faced the starter, which also included Japan Cup Dirt winner and 12-1 shot Fleetstreet Dancer and San Pasqual winner Star Cross, at 11-1. Nose the Trade was scratched.
Fleetstreet Dancer and Star Cross dueled on the front end early, leading the field through fractions of 23:05, 46.60, and 1:10.10 with Congaree staying in contention three wide and Pleasantly Perfect stalking the rest of them at the rear. Rounding the far turn, Pleasantly Perfect circled the field, got the lead at the top of the stretch, and then drew clear under a hand ride by jockey Alex Solis. At the wire it was another four lengths back to Star Cross in second, who was a neck ahead of Fleetstreet Dancer. It was another four lengths back to Congaree who weakened in the sretch. Results Chart
Winning trainer Richard Mandella, winner of 5 of the last 10 San Antonios, said, "He was sharp and fresh, he's getting stronger and we knew it was going to be a strange kind of a pace, as to who goes where. We just went in and let him run his own race and he put himself into the race early. I just told Alex (Solis) if he wants to get into it don't discourage him but we wouldn't have made him do that. That would have been taking him out of what he's been doing all his life. But he did it on his own and that made the difference." Mandella is considering sending him next in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, or the Dubai World Cup on March 27, and possibly both.
Jerry Bailey, aboard beaten favorite and last place finisher Congaree, said, "I never had any horse under me. He didn't have any spunk in the post parade. He certainly didn't act like the old Congaree today."
The Palos Verdes attracted a field of seven, including 9-5 favorite Bluesthestandard coming off his runner-up finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint last time out. When the gate opened, longshot Giovanetti and 4-1 third choice Marino Marini dueled for the initial quarter mile, run in a swift 21.08 seconds, after which Giovanetti dropped back. Bluesthestandard stalked the pace five wide during the backstretch run. After a half mile in 43.58 by Marino Marini, jockey Mike Smith got Bluesthestandard into gear. Circling the leaders three wide on the turn, he came on strong early in the stretch, collaring Marino Marini just inside the furlong pole and held on to win by a length in 1:08.13. It was another 4 lengths back to 18-1 shot Our New Recruit. Results Chart
Winning trainer Ted West said, "Before the Breeders' Cup (Sprint) he took his training up to a new level, even though he's always been an awesome work horse. He was just working unbelievable. He's continued that trend here and I just think he's a better horse than he was last year. We've got a long campaign ahead of us and this is a good way to start it. We'll go to the San Carlos (Handicap, Gr. II at seven furlongs on March 7) and the Potrero Grande (Breeders' Cup Handicap, Gr. II at 6 1/2 furlongs on March 28) after that, hopefully. That's the plan for now. A friend of mine, an ex-jockey, told me that most horses win out of fear. This horse wins just by desire."
