T.H. Approval wins San Juan Capistrano

ARCADIA, Calif. - Turf marathons are a perfect fit for T.H. Approval.

After winning or placing in four of five starts at 1 1/4 miles or farther, T.H. Approval scored his first stakes win in Santa Anita's longest race - Saturday's $250,000 over about 1 3/4 miles on turf.

Ridden by Rene Douglas, T.H. Approval ($12.60) was timed in 2:45.02, finishing 1 1/2 lengths in front of Exterior, the 7-5 favorite. Fitz Flag, a 37-1 shot finished third, with contender Stanley Park fourth in the field of eight.

T.H. Approval was always near the front. Third on the hillside, T.H. Approval was within a half-length of leader All the Boys when the field crossed under the wire the first time. Those two were as many as five lengths clear on the backstretch before the chasing pack drew closer on the final turn.

T.H. Approval took the lead turning for home and was not threatened by the closers.

Owned by Tadahiro Hotehama and trained by Eduardo Inda, T.H. Approval, 4, has won 4 of 17 starts and $310,840. A colt, he was third in both the San Marcos Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf and San Luis Obispo Handicap over 1 1/2 miles on a sloppy track earlier at this meeting.