Trainer Bobby Frankel sends out Major Success for longtime client Edmund Gann in Saturday's $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) for older sprinters at Santa Anita Park.
In spite of Frankel's long record of success at the Arcadia track, where he ranks second behind Charlie Whittingham in stakes victories and total wins, Major Success will have his work cut out for him facing proven stakes winners Attila's Storm, Jet West and With Distinction. A field of seven is set to square off in the six-furlong event.
Major Success, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of
Mazel Trick, tries stakes competition for the first time. He has won half of his eight starts, including his last two, and earned $118,700.
Frankel, a member of the Hall of fame since 1995, will seek his 116th stakes win at Santa Anita, second to Whittingham's 204. Frankel also ranks second at Santa Anita in career victories with 830, 39 behind Whittingham.
Attila's Storm won the Fall Highweight Handicap under 126 pounds after finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). The son of
Forest Wildcat was second in the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes (gr. I) as the 5-2 favorite on Dec. 26, finishing one length behind Proud Tower Too. He carries top weight of 119 pounds Saturday and will be ridden by Patrick Valenzuela.
Jet West, winner of three of four starts since being claimed for $62,500 last August, captured the California Cup Sprint Handicap by a nose last Nov. 6 and was third in a three-horse photo in the El Conejo Handicap (gr. III) on Jan. 2.
With Distinction won the El Conejo by a head for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and will seek his third consecutive victory for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis of Newport Beach.
The grade II stakes-placed mare Papa to Kinzie takes on the boys. She's scheduled to be sold at Barretts Jan. 23.
$150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II, Race 8, 4:10 p.m.), 4 & up, 6 furlongsPP. Horse, Jockey, Weight
1. With Distinction, Garrett Gomez, 117
2. Jet West, Corey Nakatani, 116
3. Attila's Storm, Pat Valenzuela, 119
4. Stalking Tiger Javier, Santiago, 112
5. Papa to Kinzie, Alex Bisono, 109
6. Major Success, Tyler Baze, 114
7. Gray Black N White, Martin Pedroza, 114
