Richard's Kid to pass on San Pasqual

ARCADIA, Calif. - Richard's Kid, the winner of the $1 million Pacific Classic last September, will not start in Saturday's $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita and will be pointed for the $150,000 San Antonio Handicap on Feb. 7, trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday.

Baffert said the Grade 2 San Pasqual Handicap over 1 1/16 miles is "too short" for Richard's Kid, who has not started since finishing sixth in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic here on Nov. 7. The Grade 2 San Antonio is run over 1 1/8 miles. The Pacific Classic is run over 1 1/4 miles.

The Hall of Fame trainer had considered starting Richard's Kid in the San Pasqual, but opted over the weekend to wait for the February race. Baffert said Richard's Kid's long-term goal is the Dubai World Cup on March 27. "I really want to go to Dubai with him," he said.

Even without Richard's Kid, the San Pasqual will have a strong field. The probable starters include Furthest Land and Ready's Echo, the first two finishers of the BC Dirt Mile in November; Nownownow, who won the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes last January; Bold Chieftain, an 11-time stakes winner; and Dakota Phone and Neko Bay, who placed in graded stakes last year.

Baffert said that Spurrier, a 5-year-old allowance-class horse that he trains, is a candidate for the San Pasqual.

Bold Chieftain, who won the California Cup Classic here in October, worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday. He won the San Quentin Stakes there in his last start in late November.

Bold Chieftain, 7, has won 14 of 32 starts and $1,122,411, the most appearances of the probable starters in the San Pasqual.