Prince Abama, Six Others Close Out 2022 in San Gabriel

Most of the seven lined up for the San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) on opening day at Santa Anita Park are like horseplayers looking for a going-home win. While several have been competitive in top company this year, victories have been hard to come by.

The $200,000 San Gabriel, at 1 1/8 miles on turf, is one of six graded stakes on Santa Anita's always eagerly awaited Boxing Day card, as much a start of the new season as an end to the old. The participants will be looking forward to getting out of 2022 with a rare win.

The only last-race winner in the bunch is Prince Abama , a 4-year-old Tamayuz  gelding who won the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T) Nov. 25 at Del Mar. He has three wins from 10 starts, all at Del Mar, although he has been in the frame consistently at Santa Anita for trainer Phil D'Amato.

Owned by Michael House, Prince Abama overcame a slow pace under Flavien Prat in the Del Mar race before taking over. Prat again takes the mount as Prince Abama cuts back from 1 1/2 miles.

While Prince Abama is winless in two starts at the nine-furlong distance of the San Gabriel, D'Amato does not foresee the cutback in distance as an issue.

"We always thought he needed extra ground. Running in those mile races (earlier in his career), he came on strong and galloped out well, but just wasn't sharp enough to get it done," the trainer said. "But I think between a mile-and-an-eighth and a mile-and-a-half, those are ideal races for him. The San Gabriel should be a good spot."

Bob and Jackie  looks to repeat his 2021 victory in the San Gabriel, which was taken off the turf and downgraded to a grade 3. He faced only three rivals in that and led all the way before holding on by a nose over Friar's Way. The 6-year-old by Twirling Candy   went on to finish second in the San Marcos Stakes (G2T) Jan. 30 and eighth in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) March 5 but hasn't run since. He has been working steadily at the San Luis Rey Training Center for trainer George Papaprodromou.

Three other contenders have managed only a single win in 2022.

Masteroffoxhounds , a 5-year-old by War Front  , has been in the mix in most of his seven previous starts this year for trainer D'Amato but won only one of those—the John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) at Santa Anita Oct. 1. He finished third in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar in his most recent start against a high-class field.

Dicey Mo Chara  has gone to the post eight times this year, also with only a single win. That came in a restricted allowance affair at 1 1/8 miles on the Santa Anita turf. The 4-year-old Adaay  gelding was second, just a neck back of Masteroffoxhounds, in the John Henry.

Go On , a 4-year-old Nyquist   colt, was part of trainer Doug O'Neill's extensive presence in Dubai last winter and early spring, finishing sixth and fifth in the second and third rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge. He's had three starts back in California, winning an allowance optional claimer, his only win of 2022, then reporting seventh in the Hollywood Turf Cup after setting a slow early pace.

Rip City , who drew the rail in the field of seven, and Flashiest , assigned the outside gate, appear to be the longest chances in the San Gabriel.

Entries: San Gabriel S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Monday, December 26, 2022, Race 3

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 12:03 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Rip City (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	121	Doug F. O'Neill	10/1
2	2Masteroffoxhounds (KY)	Mike E. Smith	125	Philip D'Amato	2/1
3	3Dicey Mo Chara (GB)	Juan J. Hernandez	121	Leonard Powell	3/1
4	4Go On (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	121	Doug F. O'Neill	10/1
5	5Bob and Jackie (KY)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	121	George Papaprodromou	6/1
6	6Prince Abama (IRE)	Flavien Prat	125	Philip D'Amato	5/2
7	7Flashiest (KY)	Joel Rosario	121	Leonard Powell	10/1