Majestic Harbor preps for San Pasqual
Majestic Harbor, the winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita last June, worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Sunday.
The exercise brought back memories of the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 for owner Ron Beegle, and not necessarily favorable ones.
“He worked better than he ran in the Breeders’ Cup,” Beegle said.
Majestic Harbor finished 13th in the BC Classic, his third consecutive loss since the Gold Cup at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old Majestic Harbor was given a brief vacation following that race. Sunday’s workout is expected to lead to a start in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 10.
“It’s the right spot for him,” Beegle said. “I think the first race will tell us late.”
Beegle said Majestic Harbor could run on grass in 2015. He and trainer Sean McCarthy are eager for the San Pasqual, which could provide clues on whether to consider dirt races such as the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7 or even the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 28.
“There are several options,” Beegle said. “We’d like to get him on the turf and see how he goes on that.”
Two trainers fined for failure to report information
Trainers John Sadler and Patricia Visscher were fined $750 earlier this month for failing to report that runners in their care were racing as geldings for the first time.
Sadler was cited regarding the entry of Indian Nate, who finished sixth in the sixth race at Del Mar on Nov. 22. Visscher, who has a stable of Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos, was cited for the entry of Triton Seeker, who finished sixth in the fourth race at Los Alamitos on Dec. 6 in his career debut.
Trainers are required to note that horses are racing as geldings for the first time when entries are submitted several days before a race.
The California Horse Racing Board is expected to discuss a rule change in 2015 that would result in the scratch of horses who are not noted as racing as geldings for the first time. The issue was discussed at the racing board’s meeting at Los Alamitos on Dec. 18 and is likely to be part of the racing board’s medication committee’s agenda in January.