Throne of Power may break out

ARCADIA, Calif. - Throne of Power may be on the verge of a breakthrough race.

After Throne of Power finished second in his U.S. debut on Jan. 4, nearly everything went wrong for him in an allowance race on Jan. 24. He finished a troubled third, but was placed second after a rival was disqualified for interference.

Avoiding that sort of journey could lead to a win for Throne of Power in an optional claimer at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Thursday. Throne of Power is familiar with the distance.

In England last fall, Throne of Power was sixth and fourth in two handicaps at 1 1/4 miles on turf in a two-week span. Thursday's race will be Throne of Power's first 1 1/4-mile start on the Pro-Ride synthetic track.

"We think he's going to be a good stayer," trainer Patrick Biancone said.

Biancone wonders if Throne of Power could have won the Jan. 24 race with a better trip.

"He was bumped on the first turn and he lost his balance," Biancone said. "Who knows what would have happened without the incident on the first turn? He wasn't the only horse bothered."

Owned by Robert Trussell Jr., Throne of Power is making his 11th start on Thursday. Throne of Power, a son of Pulpit, won a one-mile maiden race on the Polytrack surface at Lingfield, England, last February, and a minor handicap going seven furlongs on turf at Doncaster, England, last May.

In the $196,000 Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot last June, he finished 10th of 28, beaten four lengths.

"They thought he could be a good horse here," Biancone said. "I think time will be good for him."

Throne of Power is part of a field of eight. None of the runners has won at the distance, although Fire Wood was second in an optional claimer at 1 1/4 miles on turf here last April. A 7-year-old gelding, Fire Wood was claimed for $32,000 in his last start, a second-place finish by a half-length in a 1 1/8-mile race on the main track.

Two former maiden claimers enter the race on winning streaks. Kizzy's Chaos has won a maiden special weight and a starter allowance for trainer Vladimir Cerin. Forasteiro won three consecutive starts against cheap claimers in Northern California from August to December for trainer Paulo Lobo.