Rimprotector will enter San Juan Capistrano in better form this year

Rimprotector was the 21-1 outsider of six when he finished third in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita last June.

A year later, Rimprotector is entered in the same $100,000 turf marathon on Sunday with a better recent record – consecutive wins in allowance races at Golden Gate Fields in March and April.

The wins have left trainer Tim McCanna bullish about Rimprotector’s chances compared to 2023.

“I think he’s a better horse since then,” McCanna said.

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Rimprotector, a winner of 4 of 18 starts, finished sixth of seven in the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes at Del Mar last July before he was rested for the remainder of 2023. In his comeback, Rimprotector finished fourth in a tough allowance race at Golden Gate Fields in early March before winning similar races on March 24 and April 27.

“We gave him a good freshening,” McCanna said of the layoff. “If he can improve, he’s got a shot.”

The historic San Juan Capistrano, first run in 1935, is the longest annually run race at Santa Anita. The race has been run at about 1 3/4 miles on turf since 1955, and had a purse as high as $400,000 from 1996 to 2003.

The turf marathon division does not have the same depth these days as in those years, leading to a smaller purse.

Last year, Planetario and Offlee Naughty were first and second in the San Juan Capistrano. They are expected to be part of this year’s field along with Bee Catcher, Order and Law and Rockemperor.

Kyle Frey, who rode Rimprotector last year, will have the mount.

“Kyle knows him,” McCanna said.

McCanna, 62, is based in Northern California and has a small group of runners at Emerald Downs in Washington state.

McCanna has a small number of starters in Southern California annually. A win by Rimprotector would be McCanna’s second win at Santa Anita, and first since 2011.

On Thursday morning, McCanna was at Golden Gate Fields, making a final stop at his stable to gather equipment. Golden Gate Fields had its final day of racing on Sunday. Northern California racing will now be based at the Alameda county fair grounds in Pleasanton, which opens its four-week fair meeting on Friday.

A nine-week autumn meeting will begin there in late October to replace dates previously run at Golden Gate Fields.

McCanna’s 35-horse stable was relocated to Pleasanton in recent days. He was upbeat about racing’s transition to a new headquarters.

“One door shuts and another opens,” he said.

This has been a milestone spring for McCanna.

On May 27, McCanna won the 2,500th race of his career with Smile and Profile at Golden Gate Fields. He had his most recent winner in Terry’s Boy on Sunday’s final day.

“What did I do with all the money?” he said with a laugh. “I bought more horses, I guess.”

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