ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Quick Casablanca made a bold move around the final turn and went on to a 2 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes Sunday on closing day at Santa Anita, giving Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally his fourth career win in the race at age 83.
Ridden by Tyler Baze, Quick Casablanca ran 1 7/8 miles on a yielding turf course in 3:19.58. The 9-5 favorite paid $5.80, $3.200 and $2.40.
Generosidade, a 7-year-old bred in Uruguay, returned $4.40 and $3.80. Life’s Journey was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $5 to show.
The victory, worth $60,000, increased Quick Casablanca’s career earnings to $749,160, with five wins in 28 starts.
Quick Casablanca loped along last in the field of seven older horses before Baze called upon the 8-year-old Chile-bred with three furlongs to go.
“He’s one professional horse, and he’s old like me,” McAnally said. “This is a good horse.”
Dreamologist won the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths after the race was moved from turf to the dirt track because of the recent rain.
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Ridden by Flavien Prat, Dreamologist ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.56 and paid $3.40, $2.60 and $2.20 as the 3-5 favorite in the field of seven fillies and mares.
Off the Road returned $7.60 and $4.40, while Fanticola was another nose back in third and paid $3 to show.
The victory, worth $60,000, increased Dreamologist’s career earnings to $203,710, with four wins in eight starts. It was the 4-year-old filly’s first stakes victory. The race was originally listed as a Grade 3, but its status is under review after change in surface.
“She looked comfortable, looked good,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “We entered for dirt only. She’s done so well on the dirt, we wanted to take a shot at it. This is a nice way to finish the meet.”
Rafael Bejarano won his 13th career riding title and fourth in a row at Santa Anita with 74 victories. Prat finished second with 51 winners. Bejarano also led in purse earnings with $3,527,071, and tied Gary Stevens with eight stakes victories.
Phil D’Amato overtook Doug O’Neill to win the trainers’ title, the 40-year-old’s first ever. D’Amato saddled 41 winners, seven more than second-place O’Neill during the 63-day meet. D’Amato had a leading eight stakes victories, and his horses earned a leading $2,133,810.
The track’s spring meet begins May 5.
