Chiropractor, Flamboyant Vie in San Marcos

Grade I winner Chiropractor and upset San Gabriel Stakes (gr. IIT) winner Flamboyant both figure to be running late as they head the eight-horse field in the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park Feb. 6.



At 1 1/4 miles over the turf course, the San Marcos is the eighth race on a nine-race card that also includes the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. III), Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. II), and San Antonio Stakes (gr. II). Approximate post time for the San Marcos is 4 p.m. PST.



Glen Hill Farm's homebred Chiropractor, a 4-year-old Kitten's Joy   gelding, was unraced at age 2 and since making his debut last May has strung together a record of three wins and two seconds from eight starts. Trained by Tom Proctor, Chiropractor rallied while three wide for a game head victory under Corey Nakatani over favored Om in the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) at Del Mar Nov. 28 in his season finale.



With Drayden Van Dyke back aboard the 124-pound co-highweight, Chiropractor will be seeking to rebound from a seventh in Flamboyant's San Gabriel triumph Jan. 2 in which both carried 118.



Flamboyant's win in the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel at 46-1 odds ended a 10-race winless streak stretching back to the French-bred gelding's U.S. debut in the La Puente Stakes in April 2014. Ridden by Brice Blanc for trainer Paddy Gallagher, Flamboyant rallied off the quick fractions set by grade I winner Obviously to win by a neck.



"He's been working really, really well and I think he cares for this course," said jockey Brice Blanc after the San Gabriel win. "I speak to him in French, it must work!"



Power Foot, a 7-year-old gelding trained by Neil Drysdale, comes into the San Marcos off a close-up third to The Pizza Man in the Hollywood Turf Curp (gr. IIT), a Nov. 26 race in which San Marcos entrant Southern Freedom held the lead before weakening to finish seventh, only 3 3/4 lengths off the winner.