Bobby Frankel sends out 122-pound high weight King's Drama in Sunday's San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) for older horses at 1 ½ miles on the Santa Anita turf.
King's Drama is one of three horses entered in the San Luis Obispo owned by Gary Tanaka, along with Atlando and Aubonne. A field of 10 is scheduled to go to the post.
Missing from the line-up was the Richard Mandella-trained 8-year-old The Tin Man, expected to be among the favorites after winning the San Marcos Handicap (gr. IIT) Jan. 22.
King's Drama, a 6-year-old Irish-bred son of King's Theatre, won the Sword Dancer (gr. IT) at 1 ½ miles on turf at Saratoga last August, then was beaten a neck in the Man o' War (gr. IT) in September. The gelding has not raced since finishing 16th of 18 in the Japan Cup (Jpn-I) Nov. 27. King's Drama has an 8-6-5 record from 26 starts with earnings of $869,916.
Atlando won the Knickerbocker Handicap (gr. IIIT) Oct. 30 in his U.S. debut and was second and fourth in two grade II stakes at Santa Anita since moving to trainer Darrell Vienna's barn. Aubonne captured the restricted La Zanzara Handicap at 1 ¼ miles on turf at Santa Anita on Jan. 27.
T.H. Approval, weighted second in the field at 116 pounds, will be making his first start since July when he was second in the Sunset Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park. He was third in last year's San Luis Obispo before going on to win the San Juan Capistrano Handicap (gr. IIT) at about 1 ¾ miles on Santa Anita's turf.
Frankel seeks his fourth win in the San Luis Obispo, which he won last year with License to Run.
Frankel, a 64-year-old Hall of Fame trainer from Brooklyn, is in pursuit of Charles Whittingham's all-time record for victories at Santa Anita. Frankel had 842 lifetime victories (excluding Oak Tree) just past the midpoint of the 86-day meeting, 27 behind Whittingham's 869. Frankel also is second in career stakes wins behind Whittingham, 118 to 204.
$150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 8, 4 p.m.), 4 & Up, 1 1/2 miles (turf)PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Bullistic (KY), 111, David R. Flores
2. Fantastic Spain (KY), 113, Corey S. Nakatani
3. Balustrade (KY), 111, Javier Santiago
4. Bouthan (FR), 113, Jose Valdivia, Jr.
5. T. H. Approval (KY), 116, Alex O. Solis
6. a-Atlando (IRE), 115, Martin A. Pedroza
7. a-King's Drama (IRE), 122, Patrick A. Valenzuela
8. Modern Era (AUS), 111, Tyler Baze
9. Clipperdown (IRE), 112, Jon K. Court
10. a-Aubonne (GER), 110, Victor Espinoza
a-Gary Tanaka-owned entry
