Hector Palma has more than a trainer’s interest in Saturday’s
$300,000 California Breeders Champion Stakes at one mile on the main
track. The veteran horseman also owns 75 percent of Fighting Hussar, who
missed by a half length at 11-1 of overtaking 60-1 winner Weewinnin in
the King Glorious Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 16.
“He’s going to run,” Palma said Friday morning, dismissing
conditions caused by rain the last two days that created wet/fast
conditions on the main track for today’s races. “What happens, happens.”
A gray son of Rockport Harbor, Fighting Hussar has never been
worse than fourth in six outings, but this will be his first race beyond
seven furlongs, the distance of the King Glorious, in which Fighting
Hussar rallied four wide.
“He was wide,” Palma affirmed, “but the other horse (Weewinnin)
was wide, too, and he beat me fair and square, no excuses. Tomorrow
we’ll see if he goes a mile or I go a mile.”
The field for the California Breeders Champion Stakes: Omega
Star, Julien Leparoux, 5-2; Alydidit, Orlando Mojica, 30-1; Major Truth,
Alonso Quinonez, 20-1; O Wild West Wind, Edwin Maldonado, 30-1;
Lovmeister, Martin Pedroza, 15-1; Fighting Hussar, Rafael Bejarano, 5-1
China Prince, Joe Talamo, 10-1; Monument, Juan Hernandez, 7-2; Tiz a
Minister, Garrett Gomez, 8-1; Surfcup, Martin Garcia, 8-1; and
Weewinnin, Jose Valdivia Jr., 7-2.