Newgrange aiming high following San Pasqual victory
ARCADIA, Calif. - Races near and far are under consideration for Newgrange following his third stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Newgrange is a candidate for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 4 or the $12 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 25. Both races are run at 1 1/4 miles.
“The owners are going to talk,” D’Amato said. “There is a lot of money overseas.”
Newgrange ($10.40) won the $202,000 San Pasqual at 1 1/8 miles by a length over 7-5 favorite Hopper, who set the pace. Newgrange was second on the backstretch, dropped back slightly on the turn and rallied under a vigorous ride by Juan Hernandez to reach the front in the final sixteenth.
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D’Amato said the added distance of the Big Cap or Dubai World Cup should not be an issue for Newgrange.
“He wasn’t blowing at all” in the winner’s circle, D’Amato said. “I don’t think the extra distance is an issue. It might help him.”
Newgrange, by Violence, has won 5 of 8 starts and earned $747,334. He was purchased for $325,000 at a horses-in-training sale in Kentucky last summer, and is owned by David Bernsen, the Little Red Feather Racing partnership and Rockingham Ranch.
Newgrange, who has earned $192,000 since that purchase, won two Grade 3 stakes for 3-year-olds in early 2022 when trained by Baffert – the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita and the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
The Big Cap field will be weaker than that of the Dubai World Cup. The international future book for the Dubai World Cup is led by Country Grammer, who won the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 for trainer Bob Baffert.
Country Grammer is scheduled to make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 25. In early 2022, Country Grammer was second in the Saudi Cup and won the Dubai World Cup.
The Big Cap field may consist of a few runners who raced outside of California in their last start.
Stilleto Boy, third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, could start in the Big Cap. Trainer Ed Moger said he and his brother Steve, who owns the 5-year-old, were discussing options on Sunday afternoon.
Stilleto Boy was third in the 2022 Big Cap, finishing nine lengths behind Express Train and Warrant, who were separated by a head.
Baffert said on Sunday that he does not have immediate plans for Hopper or Defunded, who was second in the Pegasus World Cup. Hopper was making his first start in the San Pasqual since a win in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita last June.
Express Train, who has not raced since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, will miss the Big Cap, trainer John Shrireffs said. Express Train recently resumed workouts for a 2023 comeback.
Warrant won an allowance race at Fair Grounds on Jan. 23 in his first start since July and is rated as a Big Cap possible by trainer Brad Cox.
Parnelli, third in the San Pasqual for Shirreffs, is a candidate for the Big Cap along with Heywoods Beach, a two-time stakes winner trained by John Sadler.
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