Last Tycoon Stakes Has International Flavor

A group of world travelers will enter the gate for the $100,000 Last Tycoon Stakes (gr. IIIT) April 25, including last year's winner of the 1 1/4-mile turf test at Santa Anita Park, Chilean-bred Quick Casablanca.

The 7-year-old son of Until Sundown owned by Pablo Gomez was a group I winner in Argentina and Chile before relocating stateside in 2013. Last year's Last Tycoon is his only U.S. victory, although he's placed well in graded tries in the San Juan Capistrano Stakes (gr. IIT) last June (second) and the Charles Whittingham Stakes (gr. IIT) last May (third).

SHINAR: Quick Casablanca Posts Last Tycoon Surprise

Quick Casablanca will break from post 7 in the eight-horse field with first-time jockey Gary Stevens and exits an eighth-place finish in the Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita April 4, but that was his first start off a nine-month layoff.



Other Last Tycoon entrants exiting the Thunder Road, which covered a mile over the Santa Anita grass, are Brazilian-bred Ganesh (fifth), who came to the U.S. off a four-race win streak in Argentina (including a group I score and two group II wins); and French-bred Si Sage (sixth), who has yet to win domestically in 10 tries after relocating from France in 2013.



The final import is Irish-bred Abbey Vale, who has gone 2-for-3 in allowance/optional claiming events since crossing the Atlantic.



Beyond the International group is likely favorite Power Foot, who will pick up jockey Rafael Bejarano and break from post 2. Stepaside Farms' 6-year-old gelding led momentarily in the San Luis Rey Stakes (gr. IIT) March 21 at Santa Anita, but finished third behind Ashleyluvssugar and Finnegans Wake.

BALAN: Ashleyluvssugar Plays Spoiler in San Luis Rey

Also exiting the San Luis Rey is Play Hard to Get, who was fourth, 5 1/2 lengths behind Power Foot.



The field also includes Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) runner Big John B—a Florida-bred gelding owned by Michael House who also has a win in last year's Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) on his resume—and Loooch Racing Stables' 7-year-old gelding Joes Blazing Aaron, who was scratched from last week's San Simeon (gr. IIIT), but could be alone on the lead in the Last Tycoon with red-hot rider Tyler Baze.