Breakpoint surprises in thrilling finish to San Juan Capistrano

ARCADIA, Calif. - Tyler Baze used recent homework and a simple approach to guide Breakpoint to an upset win in Sunday’s Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita.

Baze had worked Breakpoint in recent weeks for trainer Neil Drysdale, and knew the 5-year-old Chilean-bred had considerable stamina. The only way to maximize the ability was to fully cooperate with his mount.

“Neil said, ‘Don’t take a hold,’ ” Baze said. “It was a matter of getting along with him.”

Breakpoint was prominent early and took the lead in the first half-mile of the $126,500 San Juan Capistrano at about 1 3/4 miles on turf. Baze allowed Breakpoint to cruise along on the lead, a strategy that led to a thrilling final sixteenth and a narrow win over Red King, the 2-1 favorite.

Breakpoint ($20.20) led by a length in the stretch and won by a head over Red King, who was a half-length in front of 7-2 Avenue. The stewards conducted an inquiry into a bumping incident between Avenue and Red King in the stretch, but did not change the order of finish. The incident was also the subject of an objection by Michael McCarthy, who trains Avenue.

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Breakpoint was not involved in the review. He set a fair pace of 23.61 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.97 for a half-mile, leading by as many as two lengths.

When Modus Operandi moved closer to the front with a half-mile remaining, Baze urged Breakpoint.

“I picked it up at the half-mile pole,” Baze said. “He doesn’t have a turn of foot. He just keeps going.”

Breakpoint was timed in 2:47.32 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

“I’m glad Neil said not to take a hold,” Baze said. “I let him go.”

Dean Martini finished fourth, followed by Kazan, Modus Operandi, and Muhammad Ali. Rijeka was eased on the turn and walked off.

Red King won the 2020 San Juan Capistrano and was third in the race in 2019 and 2021. Red King is trained by Phil D’Amato, who had won the last three runnings of the San Juan Capistrano before Sunday.

D’Amato said the bumping between Red King and Avenue “cost me the race.”

Breakpoint has won 6 of 10 starts and earned $286,163. By Constitution, Breakpoint was unbeaten in five starts in Chile in 2020, including three consecutive Group 1 races on turf at distances ranging from about 1 1/16 miles to about 1 1/2 miles in the final months that year.

In 2021, Breakpoint was winless in two starts for trainer Chad Brown in New York and two starts for trainer Steve Asmussen in Kentucky before being sent to Drysdale over the winter by owner Don Alberto Stable.

“He was a nice horse in South America,” Drysdale said. “It’s good to see him come back to life. He’s a neat horse.”

Neige Blance wins Possibly Perfect

It’s arguable that Neige Blanche was quicker at times while galloping back to the winner’s circle after Sunday’s $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita than she was in the first half-mile of the turf marathon.

Neige Blanche ($3) set a modest pace early in the Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles and was not troubled in the stretch en route to winning by a length.

The Possibly Perfect was Neige Blanche’s sixth stakes win in her last nine starts since early May 2021. Juan Hernandez has been aboard for all of the wins, including three stakes this year.

“I know the filly and she gave me the opportunity to ride her with a lot of confidence,” said Hernandez, the leading rider at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that ended Sunday.

“She broke sharp and I let her go,” he said. “She was galloping. At the quarter-pole, she switched leads and felt strong.”

Neige Blanche set an early pace of 24.67 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.28 for a half-mile, holding an advantage of at least a length. Neige Blanche finished in 2:01.34 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

Scarabea, a recent arrival in California from Kentucky, finished second at 8-1, a head in front of 6-1 Freedom Lass. Keyflower finished fourth, followed by Natural Colour, Scherzo and Agreetodisagree.

Neige Blanche has won 9 of 19 starts and earned $540,280 for the ownership group of Madaket Stable, Laura de Seroux, Marsha Naify, and Mathilde Powell and trainer Leonard Powell.