Itsinthepost Seeks Back-to-Back Wins in San Marcos
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Jockey Tyler Baze guides Itsinthepost to the winner's circle after their victory in the San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita
The third of four stakes races on Santa Anita Park's Feb. 3 card, the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes (G2T) features Itsinthepost and Flamboyant, the top two finishers in the San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) Jan. 6.
Trained by Jeff Mullins for Red Baron's Barn, Itsinthepost is set as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/4-mile test for older horses on turf, after the 6-year-old gelding inched away from Flamboyant (FR) in the stretch of the San Gabriel to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
After racing in the allowance optional-claiming level for much of 2015-16, Itsinthepost finished second in the 2017 San Gabriel—then a grade 3—and San Marcos before winning the San Luis Rey Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita and Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland back to back early in the year.
He added one more victory in 2017, taking the John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) back at Santa Anita and ended the year with an off-the-board effort in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
His toughest opponent for the San Marcos, Flamboyant won the 2016 edition of the race before finishing fifth in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1). The 7-year-old gelding has finished third or better in seven starts since then, including a third in the Oct. 15 Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
Trained by Patrick Gallagher, Flamboyant posted a quick five-furlong work in 1:00 4/5 at Santa Anita Jan. 26.
The 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel also included a third-place effort by San Marcos entrant Editore.
Editore ended 2017 with back-to-back victories that included the Berkeley Handicap (G3T) at Golden Gate. The 6-year-old gelding was a group 1 winner in his native Brazil.
Last year's San Marcos winner Isotherm is entered off a fifth-place finish in the San Gabriel, his first race in about 10 months.
Free Rose, a 5-year-old Munnings gelding trained by Richard Baltas, is also entered after prompting the pace and finishing sixth in the San Gabriel, his first race in seven months.
"The horse is training great," Baltas said. "He's schooling well and showing a lot of energy."
Isotherm, the 3-1 morning-line second choice, had not raced since an off-the-board finish in the Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1T) in March of 2017 prior to the San Gabriel.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 03, 2018, Race 7Entries: San Marcos S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Prince of Arabia (KY)
Tiago Josue Pereira
120
James M. Cassidy
30/1
2
2Free Rose (KY)
Joseph Talamo
120
Richard Baltas
8/1
3
3Mr. Roary (KY)
Rajiv Maragh
120
George Papaprodromou
15/1
4
4Isotherm (KY)
Flavien Prat
122
Philip D'Amato
3/1
5
5Itsinthepost (FR)
Tyler Baze
124
Jeff Mullins
9/5
6
6Flamboyant (FR)
Drayden Van Dyke
120
Patrick Gallagher
4/1
7
7Hayabusa One (FR)
Victor Espinoza
120
Peter Miller
6/1
8
8Editore (BRZ)
Brice Blanc
122
Paulo H. Lobo
6/1
