Prince Abama gets up in final strides of San Marcos Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Everything that seemed to go wrong for Prince Abama in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 worked in favor of the 5-year-old gelding at the same venue in Sunday’s Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes.

Prince Abama raced in traffic at a key point in the $201,000 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, but had a better trip under jockey Flavien Prat in the $202,500 San Marcos at 1 1/4 miles, catching stablemate Masteroffoxhounds in the final strides to win by a neck.

Prince Abama ($12.60) and Masteroffoxhounds gave trainer Phil D’Amato a 1-2 sweep in a field of 10.

“Flavien made it a point to keep him in the clear,” D’Amato said of Prince Abama. “He needed to stretch his legs.”

The San Marcos was Prince Abama’s second stakes win in three starts. Owned by Michael House, Prince Abama won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 25.

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Prince Abama was timed in 2:01.42 and needed the entire stretch to catch Masteroffoxhounds, the 3-1 favorite who led by a length with a furlong remaining and looked like a winner in deep stretch.

“He has a tendency to wait on horses,” jockey Umberto Rispoli said. “He was waiting and waiting and waiting.”

Prince Abama was sixth for the first mile of the San Marcos before Prat guided the 5-year-old to the outside.

“The race set up well for me turning for home,” Prat said. “He really laid down for me and ran a good race.”

Opry (12-1) closed from fifth in the final six furlongs to finish third. Say the Word, trained by D’Amato, closed from eighth to finish fourth and was followed by The Grey Wizard, Dicey Mo Chara, Yes This Time, Avenue, Evan Harlan and Cash Equity.

D’Amato trains Say the Word and Cash Equity.

Prince Abama, an Irish-bred gelding by Tamayuz, has won 4 of 12 starts and earned $459,553. Prince Abama was raced at a mile last fall, finishing third in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile and second in the restricted Lure Stakes before he started at 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the Hollywood Turf Cup.

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