Manndar paid $3.20 and $2.80. Here Comes Big C, a 30-1 outsider, paid $5.40 to show. ``I had a trip to die for,'' Desormeaux said. ``When we cornered for home there was no hole, but the horses that were on my outside couldn't keep up with the leaders anymore. I was able to slide out and proceed forward. It was perfect timing for the horse.'' Irish Prize earned $90,000 for owner Sheik Maktoum al Maktoum and increased his career bankroll to $299,003. The victory was the fifth in 16 lifetime starts for Irish Prize, a group III winner in France before coming to Neil Drysdale's barn in the U.S. Under Drysdale's tutelage, the gelded son of Irish River has four wins from nine starts.
Irish Prize squeezed past the leaders in the final stretch and held on to edge Manndar for the victory Monday in the $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita. Manndar, the 6-5 favorite, finished ahead of Here Comes Big C in the handicap for 4-year-olds and up. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Irish Prize carried 117 pounds and covered the 1 1/8-mile turf course in 1:47 4/5 to pay $14.20, $5.40 and $3.20.
