King's Drama takes San Luis Rey
ARCADIA, Calif. - The 6-year-old gelding King's Drama re-established himself as a major player in the grass division Saturday at Santa Anita, where he won the Grade 2, mile and one- half by one length over T.H. Approval. Until Saturday, the San Luis Rey was the only Santa Anita graded turf stake that King's Drama's trainer Bobby Frankel had not won.
Jon Court rode King's Drama, replacing injured jockey Pat Valenzuela. Court would have been riding Saturday at Golden Gate Fields, but stayed home when Capitano scratched from the off-the-turf Golden Gate Fields Handicap.
In the $200,000 San Luis Rey, Court rated King's Drama in third position well behind pacesetter Wild Buddy. King's Drama rallied three-wide to the lead at the quarter pole, and maintained his margin. T.H. Approval rallied from last; Wild Buddy held third. King's Drama was coupled in the betting with fourth-place finisher Atlando and paid $3.20.
Frankel said King's Drama, winner of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer last summer at Saratoga, would point next for the Jim Murray Handicap at Hollywood Park. King's Drama, a 6-year-old gelding, passed the million-dollar earnings mark Saturday. He earned $120,000 for owner Gary Tanaka, and has won nine races and $1,007,916 from 28 starts.
Valenzuela off mounts again
Valenzuela, the meet's leading rider, took off his mounts again Saturday due to pain from a pinched nerve between his neck and right arm. Valenzuela also missed Wednesday and Thursday, and rode only the first four races Friday before taking off. Valenzuela's agent Tom Knust said the jockey underwent an precautionary MRI on Friday, and said the injury was nothing more than a pinched nerve.
Valenzuela's status for Sunday was to be determined Sunday morning. Valenzuela aggravated the nerve March 5 when the horse (Bonus Pay Day) he was riding in a $10,000 claiming race broke down into the backstretch of a $10,000 claiming race. According to Knust, Valenzuela has been submitting to daily drug testing by the California Horse Racing Board.