Santa Anita: Sensational Star field shrinking

ARCADIA, Calif. - Caracortado was scheduled to be withdrawn from Saturday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita because of a tender foot, trainer Mike Machowsky said on Friday.

Caracortado’s absence would leave the turf sprint for California-breds with just five expected starters.

From an original field of eight in the 6 1/2-furlong turf race, Luckarack and Mega Heat were scratched on Friday morning. Caracortado was still in the race at that point, but Machowsky said he was concerned about a tender frog, or underside of the gelding’s right front foot.[bc_video_id:242909:]

Without Caracortado, Compari, the winner of the 2010 Sensational Star, when the race was a handicap, would be a heavy favorite against Ain’t No Other, My Summer Slew, Red Defense, and Tamarack Smarty. But Compari may not run, either.

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Trainer Marty Jones said on Thursday that Compari could skip the Sensational Star for the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes over a mile against open company on Feb. 4. Compari’s win in the 2010 Sensational Star was the the first of three stakes wins that winter and spring for the now 6-year-old gelding.

“We’re kind of weighing a couple of starts,” Jones said.

Jones said that before news emerged that Caracortado was withdrawn.

The Sensational Star is the first of three stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita, part of the Sunshine Millions program. The three stakes will be incorporated with three of the four stakes for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Saturday to form the $1 Luck pick six, recognizing the debut of the HBO horse racing television show on Sunday.

Ain’t No Other, a three-time stakes winner based at Golden Gate Fields with trainer Steve Miyadi, will set the pace. Red Defense makes his first start since a seventh as the 2-1 favorite in the On Trust Stakes at Hollywood Park last month.

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