Moreno Seeks First SoCal Win in Californian

Surprise Charles Town Classic (gr. II) winner Moreno will return to Santa Anita Park May 30 for the $200,000 Californian Stakes (gr. II).



The gelded son of Ghostzapper   owned by Southern Equine Stable has nearly $3 million in earnings after securing the $852,000 winner's share from the Charles Town Classic, but is winless in Southern California from 12 starts, including eight at Santa Anita.



"There's really nothing else," trainer Eric Guillot said of the Californian entry, which should set the 5-year-old up for potential runs in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) June 27 and the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) Aug. 22 at Del Mar. "I'd love to run him in a million-dollar race again, but there really isn't anything else. It's been six weeks and he needs to run."



Regarding the winless streak in California, Guillot said most of it has to do with the circumstances and quality of the races he was entered in, including two Breeders' Cup Classics (gr. I) and a second-place finish behind Shared Belief in this year's Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), coming off a four-month layoff.



"He was tired and sore in the Breeders' Cup and it's the Breeders' Cup," Guillot said. "All the rest was circumstantial and before I (gelded) him. Then he runs second in the Big 'Cap off a four-month layoff. It's got nothing to do with the track."



Guillot said he hopes the speedy Moreno will sit just off likely early leader Big Cazanova, with the same stalking style he employed to win the Charles Town Classic at odds of 7-1.



LAMARRA: Shared Belief Eased as Moreno Wins CT Classic



Moreno, who will carry the high weight at 124 pounds for the 1 1/8-mile test, should be well-placed to do so when breaking from post 7 with jockey Cornelio Velasquez in the irons. Big Cazanova drew the rail under Tyler Baze.  



Big Cazanova, a son of Giant's Causeway   trained by Peter Miller, last won in the Native Diver Stakes (gr. III) at Del Mar in November and is one of two graded stakes winners in to challenge Moreno in the Californian.



The other is another Giant's Causeway son, last-time-out winner Catch a Flight, who captured the Precisionist Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita May 2 for owners Haras Santa Maria de Araras and trainer Richard Mandella.



Completing the field are graded stakes placed Bailoutbobby, Blue Tone, Sammy Mandeville, and You Know I Know, along with stakes winner Hard Aces and Peruvian group I winner Lideris, who hasn't finished better than fifth in three U.S. tries.