Tribalist worthy favorite in California Flag Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. – If trainer Blake Heap is right about Tribalist, the 8-year-old gelding will be formidable in the California Flag Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita.

“He acts like he’s 2 years old, and he’s real good right now,” Heap said.

Though he began racing six years ago, recurring tendon issues have limited Tribalist to just 13 starts. But when he is good, Tribalist can match strides with any turf sprinter in the state. Right now, Tribalist is good, and a worthy favorite in the 5 1/2-furlong race.

Tribalist, compromised by a wide trip when finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Eddie D last out, drops Saturday into a $100,000 statebred race. Tribalist is the horse to beat in the eight-runner, all-gelding lineup, but he is not a cinch.

Castle is a five-time winner working very well since being claimed by Mark Glatt, and the sharp Grinning Tiger scored an impressive front-running win last out on dirt for trainer Anthony Saavedra.

Others include the Phil D’Amato-trained route-to-sprint entrants What a View and King Abner, along with General Interest, My Friend Emma, and Portando. The California Flag is race 6 on an eight-race card.

Flavien Prat is the new rider on Tribalist, whose wide trip against good company last out sealed his fate. According to Trakus, Tribalist covered 29 feet more than winner Pee Wee Reese, who defeated Tribalist by 2 1/2 lengths.

In a field with speed, “you’ve got to save ground, and make a run,” Heap said.

Prat is a good fit for Tribalist, a four-time winner who finished a neck behind Eddie D runner-up Eddie Haskell two back. The performance Saturday by Tribalist will offer clues to the form of Pee Wee Reese and Eddie Haskell, both aiming to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Castle looms an upset candidate for Glatt, who said Castle “trained extremely well since I took him.” Glatt considered running Castle in a claiming race Friday, but after reviewing the likely starters in the California Flag, said, “There’s only one horse that’s better than [Castle], and that’s Tribalist.”

That was before Grinning Tiger entered, however. A romping winner on dirt at Los Alamitos last out, Grinning Tiger was supplemented to the Golden State Series for Cal-breds for a $25,000 fee. The lifetime nomination includes eligibility to the California Flag.

Grinning Tiger has improved significantly in recent months for Saavedra, including a highly rated dirt win last out. “He’s a big, sound, healthy horse, he’s only 4, and we feel like he’s on the improve,” Saavedra said.

From the outside post, Grinning Tiger can either set the pace or press in the clear. He has run well on turf, and is a legitimate contender on the front end.