Lage would enjoy summer rerun

Armando Lage wouldn't mind a rerun of his experience at the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale, Calif., last year.

He swept the final weekend's two major stakes, the Les Mademoiselle with Trick Soso and the 1 5/8-mile Humboldt County Marathon with Trato.

He's hoping that Kalookan Boss can duplicate Trato's upset win and give him a repeat in the $25,000 Marathon. But Kalookan Boss will have to find a way to handle the logical favorite for Lage to win on Sunday.

Parko, the 123-pound highweight, is the likely favorite. He will be giving six pounds to Kalookan Boss, which could be significant in such a long race.

Even Lage is forced to admit, "That should be the horse to beat."

Owned and trained by John Martin, Parko won two straight 1 3/8-mile turf races before running fifth at a mile on the Santa Rosa turf in an optional claiming race in his last start.

Kalookan Boss has won two straight, a one-mile turf race at Golden Gate Fields on Aug. 12 and a 1 1/16-mile race at Pleasanton.

"I think my horse can go that far," he said.

The race is a marathon in more than distance. Horses go past the finish line four times.

"One and five-eighths miles on a half-mile track, anything can happen," said racing secretary Tom Doutrich.

Lage agrees that anything can happen on the tiny track with tight, unbanked turns.

"You can't send a clumsy horse here," he said. "You have to have an agile horse, one that's quick at changing leads.

"There's always a concern, and you never know till a horse is on that track. In my opinion, my horse should be able to handle that."

If Kalookan Boss can, the race truly could be a rerun for Lage.