Express Train surges to take San Pasqual Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - On the turn of Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita, jockey Juan Hernandez, riding Express Train, peeked over his right shoulder to assess the competition. There largely wasn’t any.

Hernandez had Express Train in third behind 5-1 Tizamagician and 19-1 Zestful with a quarter-mile remaining. Entering the stretch, Hernandez moved Express Train to the outside of the leading pair and guided his mount to an easy win by 3 1/4 lengths.

“I had a lot of horse,” Hernandez said. “He followed my instructions.”

Express Train ($7.20) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.13 on a track rated good after rain on Thursday and Friday. Express Train earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

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Tizamagician held second, finishing a neck in front of even-money favorite Idol, who closed from last. Zestful faded to finish fourth, well clear of 7-2 King Guillermo in the field of five.

The $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes was the California debut of King Guillermo, who was second in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park last May and fourth in his only subsequent start, the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 5.

Idol, ridden by Gabriel Saez, was last on the backstretch and briefly raced between Express Train and King Guillermo at the back of the small field. Through the final quarter-mile, Idol closed steadily to finish third.

“He was sitting last and made a couple of different moves with the horse,” trainer Richard Baltas said of Saez’s ride. “I’m disappointed in the trip.”

The win gave Express Train his first stakes win in his fourth appearance in such a race. A 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, Express Train races for Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stable and trainer John Shirreffs. Express Train, a $500,000 yearling purchase, has won 3 of 8 starts and has earned $293,300.

Express Train was second by 4 1/2 lengths to Charlatan in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds here on Dec. 26. Charlatan is rated as the leading contender for the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 20.

Hernandez, the leading rider at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, said Express Train is better suited to route races even though the colt ran a respectable race in the Malibu.

“He went seven-eighths last time,” Hernandez said. “I think he’s better going longer.”