Big Swag gives The Pamplemousse first winner

ARCADIA, Calif. – Big Swag, a 2-year-old first-time starter, gave the California stallion The Pamplemousse his first winner with his first runner in Friday’s second race at Santa Anita.

Big Swag ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.23 seconds, finishing 3 1/4 lengths in front of Nardo in the field of seven California-bred maidens.

The Pamplemousse stands for $2,500 at Rancho San Miguel in San Miguel. By Kafwain, The Pamplemousse, 8, won 3 of 5 starts and earned $208,280 in an injury-plagued career in 2008 and 2009. He won two Grade 3 stakes in early 2009 at Santa Anita – the San Rafael and Sham stakes. The Pamplemousse entered stud in 2011 after a comeback in 2010 was abandoned.

Big Swag, owned by a partnership that includes Jeff Hayes, Jerome Higman, and Mike McGuire, is trained by Dan Hendricks. On Friday, Big Swag led throughout, holding off an early threat from 4-5 favorite Lucky Logan, who faded to third.

Big Swag earned $33,600 for winning the maiden special weight race. Elvis Trujillo rode Big Swag ($11.40).

“He showed more than he did in the morning,” Hendricks said. “There was an extra gear, extra speed and finish.”

Big Swag is out of Border Fire, a Boundary mare who won 10 of 41 starts and earned $296,703 racing on the East Coast from 1999 to 2002. Border Fire placed in two stakes. Big Swag is her fifth winner, a group that includes Takin’ the Bullet, who was stakes-placed and earned $196,040.

Hendricks said Big Swag will be considered for stakes such as the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-breds over 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on July 30. California Chrome won the 2013 Graduation Stakes.