Newgrange, Never Better At Age 5, Repeats In Grade II, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes

__NEWGRANGE, NEVER BETTER AT AGE 5, REPEATS IN GRADE II, $200,000 SAN PASQUAL STAKES AS HE CONTROLS PACE EN ROUTE TO ONE LENGTH SCORE __

TRAINED BY D’AMATO & RIDDEN BY ESPINOZA, NEWGRANGE MOVES PAST THE $1 MILLION MARK

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 27, 2024)—Ridden for the first time by veteran Victor Espinoza, Newgrange successfully defended his title in Santa Anita’s Grade II, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes on Saturday as he led throughout and prevailed by one length while getting a mile and one eighth in 1:49.26.

Fresh off an authoritative 2 ¼ length score with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up in the Grade II San Antonio Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth here on Dec. 26, Newgrange, a 5-year-old full horse by Violence, is unquestionably at the top of his game for Phil D’Amato, who must now decide if Newgrange, who went over the $1 million mark in career earnings, will go next in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on March 2, or ship to the middle east to run in the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 30.

With seven older horses engaged, four of them were forwardly placed in the run to the first turn, and it was Newgrange taking the lead without being hustled. One length clear of longshot Mixto as the field headed up the backside, Newgrange maintained that lead to the three furlong pole and with Mixto tiring, favored Newgate immediately joined the party turning for home, but he could never get on terms with Newgrange, who was dominant to the wire.

The second choice at 2-1, Newgrange paid $6.20, $4.20 and $3.00.

Owned by David Bernsen, LLC, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch, Newgrange, who was originally trained by Bob Baffert, picked up his fourth win from nine starts for D’Amato, who now leads Richard Mandella through 17 racing days with five stakes wins to Mandella’s four.

With the San Pasqual being run for the 86th time today, the win was no doubt especially sweet for Espinoza. A Hall of Famer with three Kentucky Derby wins (including a Triple Crown in 2015 with American Pharoah) and who at age 51, has ridden sparingly at the current stand, Espinoza had one win from 14 mounts coming into today.

Newgrange, who is out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, posted his fifth career stakes win today and improved his overall mark to 13-7-0-4. With the winner’s share of $120,000, he now has earnings of $1,007,634.

The 8-5 favorite with Joel Rosario, Newgate loomed ominously around the far turn, wheeled three-deep turning for home and was second-best on the day while returning $3.00 and $2.40.

Mixto, ridden by Antonio Fresu, kept to his task through the lane and finished three quarters of a length behind Newgate. Off at 11-1, he paid $4.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.27, 47.55, 1:12.10 and 1:36.57.