Rich Tapestry Weaves Santa Anita Surprise

Hong Kong-based sprinter Rich Tapestry, prepping for the Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), produced a superb come from behind win Oct. 4, nosing out Goldencents   in the $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (gr. I) .



On a sizzling hot day at Santa Anita Park, Olivier Doleuze drove the Irish-bred 6-year-old by Holy Roman Emperor between the fading Secret Circle and 4-5 favorite Goldencents in deep stretch to get up just before the wire in an outstanding six-furlong time of 1:07.59 on a fast track. The time was slightly off the track mark of 1:07.20 established by Sunny Blossom in 1989.



Michael Chang trains Rich Tapestry for a partnership. They plan to return to Santa Anita Nov. 1 for the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint after securing an automatic bid with a 7-1 upset victory. Rich Tapestry paid $16.80, $3.80, and $2.40.

"He's easy to train, he's got a big heart," Chang said. "He won a race in Ireland, he won a race in Hong Kong, he won a race in Dubai, and now he's won a race in America."



Goldencents was a clear second by 1 3/4 lengths as Secret Circle, part of the hot pace, weakened late in the five-horse field.

Rich Tapestry, making his first since finishing eighth in the Hong Kong Sprint Cup (HK-II) on grass at Sha Tin April 27, is believed to be the first horse from the island nation to compete in a California stakes. The bay gelding arrived at Santa Anita the week of Sept. 29 with four wins and a second from five starts over dirt and synthetic tracks, which he prefers over the turf.

"He's such a nice horse," Doleuze said. "He traveled well and he did what we asked of him today. He's going to improve from this race so he'll absolutely be ready for the Breeders' Cup."



Moyglare Stud Farm bred Rich Tapestry in Ireland out of the mare Genuine Charm, by Sadler's Wells. He was purchased privately after four starts in Ireland and sent to Hong Kong, where he is owned by the partnership of Silas Yang, Siu Shun, Wong Tak Wai, Ho Chi Keung, and Cheung Yuk Tak.

Asked about not having raced since April, Chang said, "I could not find a decent race for him in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, the season ends in the middle of July and the new season doesn't start until September. He's so good on the dirt, so I took a chance to try my luck here today.



"I know in American racing style, they go very fast, always very fast in the first quarter, and the second quarter...and in the home straight, they all slow down. So I just asked my jockey, 'Give the horse a chance. Try to make him finish. You cannot go with them in the early stage."



Outsiders Indexical and Ankeny Hill vied out of the gate for the early lead as 6-5 Secret Circle, off a step slowly for Martin Garcia, hustled  up to join the leaders along the inside. Rich Tapestry traile but there was little separating all five horses up the backstretch. Ankeny Hill had a slight lead after a quarter mile fraction of :21.98 before Secret Circle poked a head in front while reaching the quarter pole in :44.25. Goldencents advanced on the outside rounding the turn and Rich Tapestry looked for room while right behind the leaders.



Goldencents seized the lead in upper stretch from Secret Circle and inched away to a 1 1/2-length edge approaching mid-stretch as Ankeny Hill gave way. Rich Tapestry, responding to urging from Doleuze to challenge between the two favorites, got the lead in the final couple of jumps and held off a final surge from Goldencents at the wire in a terrific finish.



A group III winner over the synthetic main track at Meydan Racecourse March 8, Rich Tapestry came back to finish second to Sterling City in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) three weeks later, beaten by three-quarters of a length. His win Saturday, worth $180,000, was his seventh in 27 lifetime starts and increased his earnings to $1,449,533.



He won the 2013 Hong Kong Sprint Cup by a nose.

Chang said Rich Tapestry would remain in the Leonard Powell barn at Santa Anita to await the Breeders' Cup.

"I fly back to Hong Kong tonight," he said. "I still have 50 horses there. I'll be back here a week before the Breeders' Cup."



Rich Tapestry paid $16.80, $3.80, and $2.40 across the board, topping an exacta worth $39.40. Goldencents, who was also second in last year's Sprint Championship prior to a smashing win in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I), returned $2.40 and $2.10. Secret Circle, the defending Breeders' Cup Sprint champion, paid $2.10 in his first start in eight months.

"I'll check with (owners) Josh (Kaplan) and Glenn (Sorgenstein), but we're 90% plus to run in the Dirt Mile," said Doug O'Neill, the trainer of Goldencents.

He was uncertain as to who would be the horses' trainer of record for the Breeders' Cup. O'Neill was barred Oct. 3 from entering horses in this year's Breeders' Cup as a result of a medication violation in New York in June 2013.



Ankeny Hill and Indexical trailed. Merit Man scratched.