Carla Gaines hopes to get the New Year off to a winning start when
she runs John Scott in Saturday’s San Pasqual Stakes. It will mark the
first start for the 6-year-old gelding owned and bred by the Harris
Farms since his fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at
Santa Anita last Nov. 3.
“He’s coming up to the race very well,” Gaines said of the consistent
California-bred son of Bertrando, who has never been worse than fourth
in 10 career starts. He has two stakes wins to his credit, although not
graded. The San Pasqual, a forerunner to the Santa Anita Handicap on
March 2, is a Grade II test for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles.
The field for the San Pasqual, race seven of nine: Jaycito, Julien
Leparoux; Hoorayforhollywood, Joe Talamo; Tres Borrachos, Garrett Gomez;
Ultimate Eagle, Martin Pedroza; John Scott, Victor Espinoza; Coil,
Martin Garcia; Bank the Eight, Rafael Bejarano; Key Decision, Edwin
Maldonado; and Golden Itiz, Jose Valdivia Jr.