One of the reasons that Lonny Powell, the new president at Santa Anita, anticipates a bullish season is the long-range forecast for a relatively dry winter in Southern California.
Powell knows, however, that weather forecasters, like racetrack handicappers, are only fallible. So as Santa Anita said goodbye to 1999 Friday, there was an unexpected afternoon of rain that forced the track to take the featured race, the $104,762 Monrovia Handicap, off the grass.
When the Monrovia was moved to the dirt track, three horses, including the 8-5 morning-line favorite, Tuzla, and last year's winner, Desert Lady, were scratched. The undefeated but untested Optical Solution also didn't run, and of the four that remained it was Show Me The Stage prevailing with a front-running ride by Kent Desormeaux.
After a disastrous Hollywood Park meet marked by only four wins from 66 mounts, Desormeaux may be emerging from his slump. He won two more races Friday, has six for the meet and is the early co-leader with Corey Nakatani after five days.
Trained by Eric Guillot, Show Me The Stage became the first 3-year-old to win the Monrovia. Like all thoroughbreds, the California-bred filly gains a year today.
"They had been see-sawing back and forth in the racing office about what to do with the race," Guillot said. "It was a major decision, obviously. It drizzled in the morning, then it stopped, then it rained again."
Show Me The Stage was 8-1 on the morning line, the fourth choice, before the grass horses came out. As it was, she paid $5.60 to win as the second choice, beating Chichim by two lengths and running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15 on a track listed as fast. Favored Honest Lady was third, 5 1/2 lengths behind Show Me The Stage.
Winner of her only race on grass, Show Me The Stage had won nine of 19 dirt races going into the Monrovia. She went over the $400,000 mark with Friday's $64,140 payday.
"Now she's 11 for 21," Guillot said. "I was going to run her in the Grade I [La Brea Stakes last Monday], and try to get her Grade I-placed, but I think a Grade III win [the Monrovia] is better. I was more concerned about keeping up her 50% win clip."
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In 1996, Romarin was a 6-year-old when he became the first horse to win the San Gabriel Handicap for the second time. Brave Act, who turns 6 today, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite to become the second horse to win the grass stake in successive runnings.
