Old Pal delivers as favorite in Unusual Heat
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ARCADIA, Calif. – In his third start since he was gelded, veteran 5-year-old Old Pal put it all together in the $175,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Old Pal ($5.60) rallied from sixth to win the 1 1/8-mile California-bred stakes by one length over Coalinga Road. On the Whim finished third, Aligato ran fourth.
Trainer Mark Glatt and Old Pal’s 11-person ownership group decided last summer the time was right to make the colt a gelding even after he had won three of his first eight starts including the $151,000 Snow Chief Stakes as a 3-year-old in 2023.
“As consistent as he is, I kind of felt like he wasn’t giving us everything,” Glatt said. “I would never call him a lazy horse in the morning, but sometimes they just need a little bit of an attitude adjustment.”
After being gelded in August, Old Pal placed in a pair of second-level allowance races. He was gradually coming around. In the Turf Classic for California-breds, Old Pal got just enough pace to flatter his closing rally, and he was dropping in class.
“He’s a set-up horse,” Glatt said, referring to the late-runner’s pace-dependent style. Glatt also noted that Old Pal’s rivals Saturday were “maybe a little easier than a couple of those two-other-than allowance races he’s been competing in.”
Antonio Fresu rode Old Pal, who settled midfield, rallied wide and won in 1:47.93 as the favorite. The stakes win was Fresu’s third of the day.
Old Pal’s ownership group includes Blinkers On Racing Stable, Carolyn Corbett, Jai Desai, and Frederick Dizonno. A 5-year-old gelding sired by Grazen, Old Pal has won four races and $341,190 from 11 stars.
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