One Off rallies from last to win San Marcos

ARCADIA, Calif. - Proving it is never too late to reach a career milestone, the 7-year-old gelding One Off won his first stakes in Sundays $150,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Brice Blanc, One Off rallied from last of eight in the final quarter-mile to finish three-quarters of a length in front of Notable Guest. One Off ($24.80) ran 1 1-4 miles on turf in 2:01.48.

Notable Guest, making his first start in the United States, led briefly in deep stretch but could not hold off the winner. Obrigado finished third. The winner and Obrigado are trained by Neil Drsydale.

The first three finishers were well off the early pace of 24.06 and 49.07 seconds, shared by Hello Sunday and Boboman, the 6-5 favorite. Hello Sunday and Boboman faded to finish seventh and eighth.

One Off, who won six consecutive races in a two-month span in England in 2003, is owned by Burt and Jane Bacharach.

A winner of 9 of 27 starts and $307,354, One Off was second in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap last year, his best stakes finish in the United States before Sundays race.