Pincay Stakes lacks namesake's quality

ARCADIA, Calif. – It’s cool that one of the greatest jockeys of all time finally has a Santa Anita stakes race named in his honor.

What’s less cool is the rebranded Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes, previously known as the San Antonio, drew a modest field relative to the jockey’s achievements. Before he retired in 2003, Pincay won a record 9,530 races and still ranks second all time to Russell Baze’s 12,842.

By contrast, only two of the eight older horses entered in the Pincay have won graded stakes, and even Grade 1 winner Express Train is dubious at age 7. His most recent victory was in 2022. Katonah and Tarantino are virtual co-favorites in the Pincay, which is missing two key nominees.

Full Serrano, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, is out until spring. Skinner, a last-out Grade 3 winner, recently relocated to Fair Grounds. Their exit leaves dropper Katonah, front-runner Tarantino, and Express Train as the Pincay principals. Others include Grade 3 winner Lammas; stakes winner American Admiral; and longshots Ashcroft, J B Strikes Back, and Goldeneye.

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The race centers on Tarantino, a speed horse with a speed rider. Trainer Peter Eurton noted that Edwin Maldonado “is not a one-dimensional rider, but [Tarantino] is one-dimensional horse.”

The gelding also is a battler. Since Eurton claimed Tarantino for $40,000 in July, the front-runner won twice by a head and finished second last out in a Grade 3.

“He’s such a fighter, you know he’s not going to give up,” Eurton said. “If he’s on the lead getting challenged, he’ll fight back.”

If he shakes away from J B Strikes Back, Tarantino could wire the Pincay. If not, the stakes could unfold for 3-1 program favorite Katonah, unplaced in three Grade 1s, including a better-than-looked fifth last out in the BC Dirt Mile. Katonah hit traffic near the eighth pole, steadied, then re-rallied to miss by slightly more than five lengths.

Katonah will add blinkers Thursday.

“We just feel like it might be the missing link to push him over the top,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. Katonah has worn the new equipment in workouts, and O’Neill said blinkers “seem like they’ve helped him a little bit.”

The biggest change Thursday is the drop from Grade 1 into a modest Grade 2. Frankie Dettori rides Katonah again; Antonio Fresu is aboard J B Strikes Back.

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Express Train was a star in winter 2021-22, when he won three stakes including the Santa Anita Handicap. He subsequently was off for a year and half and finished third in both comeback starts.

“He looks fantastic on the racetrack, his coat’s shining, he’s moving well,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “The only question is, does he still have the same fire? He’s doing great, I just want to see him have that little fire and that real good extension.”

Hector Berrios will ride Express Train.

◗ The Beyer Speed Figure of the California Crown on Sept. 28 at Santa Anita was revised upward five points, raising Katonah’s figure from 90 to 95.

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