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Newgate Is All-Out To Collar Subsanador Late And Takes Grade I, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap By A Head
3/3/2024
__NEWGATE IS ALL-OUT TO COLLAR SUBSANADOR LATE AND TAKES GRADE I, $400,000 SANTA ANITA HANDICAP BY A HEAD AS BAFFERT WINS HIS SIXTH BIG ‘CAP __
PRESENTED BY YAMAVA’ RESORT & CASINO, ICONIC BIG CAP TO BE RUN FOR THE 87TH TIME
ARCADIA, CA (March 3, 2024)—With the legendary Frankie Dettori calling upon all of considerable strength and determination, Bob Baffert’s Newgate was able to rally off the turn for home and post a hard-fought head victory over vastly improved Argentina-bred Subsanador in the 87th running of the Grade I, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Sunday. A 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief, Newgate, who was trying a mile and one quarter for the first time, got the distance in 2:03.49 and thus provided Baffert with his sixth lifetime win in the Big ‘Cap and his third consecutive graded tally on the day.
With Subsanador, off at 22-1, making a clear lead early, Newgate was attentive to the pace in fifth position, about three off the leader while between horses into and around the Club House turn.
Fifth by a similar margin around the far turn, Dettori shifted to the four-path approaching the quarter pole and in a gutty effort, was able to gradually collar stablemate Reincarnate and gradually wear down Subsanador, who showed tremendous heart in defeat.
Second to today’s favorite Newgrange in the Grade II San Pasqual Stakes at a mile and one eighth on Jan. 27, Newgate was the second choice today at 3-1 and paid $8.40, $4.20 and $3.20.
Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, et al, Newgate got his first career Grade I victory and his second graded win while improving his overall mark to 9-3-4-0.
With the Big ‘Cap winner’s share of $240,000, he increased his earnings to $535,775.
Fourth, but never a threat to win in his U.S. debut, the Grade II San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26, Subsanador, trained by John Sadler, paid $15.00 and $6.00 while finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of Reincarnate.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Reincarnate appeared poised to challenge Subsanador for supremacy three sixteenths of a mile out, but he tired late to finish a head in front of eastern shipper Highland Falls. Off at 7-2, Reincarnate paid $3.80 to show.
Fractions on the Big ‘Cap were 23.23, 47.09, 1:12.15 and 1:37.05.