Newgrange, Highland Falls peaking for Big Cap showdown

ARCADIA, Calif. – Regarding the richest Grade 1 on Sunday at Santa Anita, and the top contenders in the $400,000 race – better late than never.

The Santa Anita Handicap will in fact be run this weekend, albeit a day later than scheduled. The Big Cap and three supporting stakes were switched from Saturday to Sunday due to the threat of rain. The postponement is fitting; the main Big Cap entrants are late developers.

Although it took a long time for 5-year-old Newgrange and 4-year-old Highland Falls to emerge as legitimate contenders in a Grade 1 at 1 1/4 miles, their trainers always believed they had the potential to develop into top older horses.

Phil D’Amato said Newgrange “has finally grown into himself, found the form he had earlier, and was able to improve off that.”

A two-time Grade 2 winner this meet, Newgrange improved so much he is among the Big Cap favorites – a year after running seventh in the race at 9-1.

Brad Cox sent Highland Falls to California this week from Fair Grounds. Highland Falls did not even make his debut until last summer as a 3-year-old.

“Obviously, he’s a little bit of a late developer,” Cox said. “He’s lightly raced, but he’s received good figures out of his four runs.”

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Newgrange, 7 for 13 with five graded stakes wins, and Highland Falls, 3 for 4 and running in his first graded race, are the top two contenders in Big Cap. But it’s hardly a two-horse affair.

Salesman is a 7-year-old Grade 2 winner working exceptionally well for his first start since November; Newgate is a Grade 3 winner with speed; Subsanador was a Group 1 winner in South America who can improve from his fourth-place U.S. debut. Reincarnate and Mixto also are entered.

All 10 Sunday races were initially scheduled for Saturday. The entire card was moved, including the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe on turf, race 7; the Grade 2 Buena Vista on turf, race 10; and the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds, race 6.

The San Felipe field includes the most exciting runner on the program. Nysos, a runaway winner in all three of his starts, figures to be odds-on.

Newgrange won’t be odds-on in the seven-horse Big Cap, but after two stakes wins this meet, and a super team work last weekend, he is sure to fire. D’Amato found the right buttons to push.

“I found out he likes to run once a month,” D’Amato said. “He loses a little bit when I space his races out every [couple of] months. This monthly routine suits him well, and he came out of that last race like nothing.”

Newgrange also is under consideration for the Dubai World Cup on March 30, but D’Amato said the Big Cap is more than just a prep race.

“Do not be mistaken, we’re going into the Big Cap all guns firing and ready to go,” he said.

Victor Espinoza rode Newgrange to a front-running victory Jan. 27 in the Grade 2 San Pasqual, and was aboard for both recent works. He said Newgrange never felt better than when he dusted four workmates in a multi-horse drill one week ago.

“It’s hard for those horses to get beat where they get into that zone,” Espinoza said after the work. “It’s amazing how their body language changes. This horse, he’s stronger, more muscle on him.”

Drawn outside in the seven-runner Big Cap, Newgrange can set or press outside pace rival Newgate, who trainer Bob Baffert calls “a big, beautiful horse” with the potential to “be one of the top older horses this summer.”

Newgate finished only a length behind Newgrange in the San Pasqual. Frankie Dettori rides Newgate, who is making his third start back from a layoff.

Highland Falls arrived Tuesday, and though he has never raced in a graded stakes, his trainer said the Big Cap was always a consideration for the lightly raced colt.

“Kind of had our eye on this race for a while,” Cox said. “It’s a Grade 1, he’s got a big pedigree, and he did what we felt like he needed to do in his last race to pursue the Big Cap.”

Highland Falls, sired by Curlin and produced by Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Round Pond, won a second-level allowance last out with a 96 Beyer that compares favorably to the field.

The postponement of the Big Cap from Saturday to Sunday allowed Florent Geroux to keep the mount on Highland Falls. Geroux was booked Saturday at Aqueduct, and Umberto Rispoli was named on Highland Falls. When the Big Cap was moved, Geroux’s plans changed. His agent, John Panagot, confirmed via text that Geroux will take off his Sunday mounts at Fair Grounds to ride Highland Falls.

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Salesman is an interesting longshot making his first start in four months. It was last fall when trainer Richard Mandella switched him to dirt, the surface on which he trained exceptionally well, and he won a marathon by more than eight lengths.

A minor hiccup precluded him from starting since, but he has worked very well for his comeback.

“He’s ready,” Mandella stated.

Flavien Prat rides Salesman.

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