Express Train Punches Big 'Cap Ticket in San Pasqual

C R K Stable's Express Train punched his ticket to the March 6 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) Jan. 30 with a 3 1/4-length score in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

The 4-year-old son of Union Rags  sat a perfect trip and rallied through the stretch to earn his first graded stakes victory under Juan Hernandez. He came off a runner-up finish to Charlatan in the Dec. 26 Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) going seven furlongs at Santa Anita, and relished the stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time on the dirt. He tackled the same distance for trainer John Shirreffs in the 2020 Twilight Derby (G2T) on turf, where he checked in eighth after being steadied twice.

Tizamagician showed the way Saturday through an opening quarter in :23.84 and a :48.74 half, while Express Train saved ground in fourth at the rail early, then moved into third through three-quarters in 1:13.70. Angled out three-wide, he rallied to the lead through a 1:39.26 mile, found his best stride late, and won going away.

"We knew there was plenty of speed in the race and it worked out fine," Shirreffs said. "Juan fits this horse very well. … We'll stay home and run in the Big 'Cap."

The final time was 1:52.13 on a track rated as "good." The track received 2.4 inches of rain through noon on Jan. 29, according to Santa Anita publicity, resulting in slower times throughout the afternoon.

"He loves going short and going long, so you can do whatever you want with him; he's a really nice horse," Hernandez said. "There were three horses that tried to go to the lead and my horse relaxed pretty well behind them. … I was just waiting to (get into) the stretch to let him run, that's what (he) did. Around the turn before the stretch, I checked, I went outside and I was clear, and he started running again."

The 5-2 second choice in a field of five, Express Train paid $7.20 for a $2 win ticket. Tizamagician held gamely for second, a neck ahead of even-money favorite Idol, who finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of longshot Zestful. King Guillermo completed the order of finish. 

Bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms out of the Mineshaft  mare I'm a Flake, Express Train improved his record to three wins and three seconds from eight starts, with earnings of $293,300. He was a $500,000 purchase by Mayberry Farm from the Lane's End consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is the first graded winner for his dam. His second dam, November Snow, won the Test Stakes (G1) and Alabama Stakes (G1) in 1992. I'm a Flake was barren in 2018-19 and foaled an Accelerate  colt in 2020. She was bred back to Union Rags for 2021.