Finnegans Wake Sees Rival Again in San Marcos

Finnegans Wake and Patrioticandproud are set to renew their rivalry once again in the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes (gr. IIT) on the grass Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park.



After finishing 10th in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) on Nov. 1, Finnegans Wake has won his past two starts for trainer Peter Miller, besting runner-up Patrioticandproud each time. With a win Saturday, Finnegans Wake would surpass $1 million in career earnings.



On Nov. 27, the Kentucky-bred 6-year-old by Powerscourt surged late to catch Patrioticandproud by a neck in the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (gr. IIT) at Del Mar. On Jan. 3, he ran down the gelding again to prevail by a length in the San Gabriel Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita.



Since transferring to Miller in September, Finnegans Wake's only off-the-board finish came in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) when he was beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Main Sequence, the Eclipse Award champion grass horse and older male of 2014.



Owned by Donegal Racing and Rockingham Ranch, Finnegans Wake will break from the rail under Victor Espinoza in the nine-horse field. He owns a record of 5-3-3 from 26 starts with a bankroll of $945,375, and is the starting high weight of 123 pounds in the 1 1/4-mile race.



Patrioticandproud will break just outside of his rival from post 2 and be ridden for the third consecutive time by Eclipse Award champion apprentice jockey Drayden Van Dyke, now a journeyman.



The 6-year-old son of Proud Citizen   will be seeking his first graded stakes victory and snap a 12-race losing streak for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber.



Patrioticandproud owns a 4-10-4 record from 27 starts with $492,605 in earnings. HIs last win came in an allowance race at Keeneland on April 7, 2013.



Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale will be represented by both Power Ped and Power Foot, also sons of Powerscourt, in the San Marcos.



Power Ped, a last-out winner of the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Turf Handicap at Turf Paradise Jan. 17, was third in the San Gabriel Stakes (gr. IIT) in his prior start, 1 3/4 lengths behind Finnegans Wake.



The 5-year-old gelding has two wins, two seconds and two thirds over Santa Anita's turf course. Owned by Stepaside Farms, he has a record of 4-5-2 from 18 starts with $274,432 in earnings.



Power Foot, a 6-year-old gelding, will be seeking his first stakes victory after winning an allowance race at Santa Anita on Jan. 8. Prior to that, he finished fourth in the Hollywood Turf Cup, behind both Finnegans Wake and Patrioticandproud. Also owned by Stepaside Farms, Power Foot has a record of 4-0-3 from 19 starts with earnings of $220,564.



Sean McCarthy's Majestic Harbor will attempt to end a four-race losing streak in the San Marcos, returning to the grass for the first time since finishing third in an allowance race at Del Mar on Aug. 5, 2012.



Majestic Harbor easily won the $500,000 Gold Cup (gr. I) at Santa Anita June 28 at 14-1 odds. He dropped his next four decisions, including a 13th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Nov. 1.



Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has the call in the San Marcos aboard the 7-year-old horse by Rockport Harbor owned by Gallant Stable.