Santa Anita: So Big Is Better wins President of the United Arab Emirates Cup

ARCADIA, Calif. – So Big Is Better, the champion Arabian older horse of 2012, won the first Arabian race in Santa Anita history in Friday’s $150,000 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup but was pulled up with a suspected suspensory problem after the race and did not return to the winner’s circle.

So Big Is Better was vanned back to the stables. Owner Mark Powell said after the race that So Big Is Better, who has been bred to a small number of mares in recent years, would be retired to stud.

Ridden by Luis Medina, So Big Is Better ($24) closed from 10th in a field of 11 to win by 7 1/4 lengths over the French import No Problem Al Maury. Ms Dixie finished third.

Grilla, the 5-2 favorite, was eighth.

So Big Is Better is trained by Scott Powell, the brother of Mark Powell. So Big Is Better ends his career with 25 wins in 54 starts and earnings of $333,065. Earlier this year, So Big Is Better won stakes at Arapahoe Park, the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale, Calif., the Los Angeles County Fair, and Lone Star Park.