Ed Moger Jr. has been a trainer for over four decades and his horses have won many races, but none greater than Saturday’s $500,000 Class 1 Santa Anita Handicap. Stilleto Boy took on favorites Defunded and held off an approaching proxy to narrowly win.
“Of all the races in California, this one is definitely bigger than the Pacific Classic [at Del Mar]Mayer said. “It’s like California’s Kentucky Derby.”
The horse was bought by Moger’s brother Steve for $420,000. Steve didn’t ask his brother for advice on the purchase.
“I would have told him it was too much,” Moger said. “It seems like a good move. We only won two races with him, but we had a great time. It feels like we won 100 races.”
Stilleto Boy paid $29.80 to win. Proxy was followed by Defunded, Hopper, There Goes Harvard, Tisquantum, Newgrange, Warrant and Heywoods Beach.
Moger thinks the 5-year-old’s next race could be the Oaklawn Handicap or possibly the Metropolitan Mile.
The win was also a partial reprieve for Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, who was allowed to officiate this Santa Anita meeting after a series of incidents that earned him a suspension and suspension from the California Horse Racing Board. He admitted that he had a problem with alcohol throughout his career.
“For me, after a lifetime of track debacle, it shows that we’ve come full circle and we can end it and I can move on with my career,” said Desormeaux. “It will be for me to stay clean.”
It was Desormeaux’s third Big ‘Cap win, with previous wins in 2002 (Milwaukee Brew) and 1992 (Best Mate).
In other judged races, Gold Phoenix ($23.60) made its way through horses and passed Du Jour to win the Frank E. Kilroe Mile on the Turf by a $1500,000 neck. Winning trainer Phil D’Amato paid tribute to jockey Kazushi Kimura, who is new to the Santa Anita jockey colony.
“This kid has now ridden two horses for me and won both,” said D’Amato of Kimura, 23. He saved every inch of ground, waited, split horses and did everything I told him to do. … I can’t say enough good things about the incredible ride.
Quattroelle ($8.60) won the Grade 2 $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for older mares and mares with a mile on the grass. The 5-year-old mare made a strong pull deep in the track to win by half a length ahead of trainer Jeff Mullins and jockey Hector Barrios.
Source: LA Times