Westwood's speed could be story of Santa Anita Handicap
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ARCADIA, Calif. - Westwood’s speed has defined his career, and could lead to his first Grade 1 win in coming days.
Last April, Westwood finished third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby as a maiden after disputing the pace. He won a maiden race from the front at Del Mar last August in his sixth start, and his first stakes in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Jan. 31 by leading throughout.
On Saturday, Westwood starts at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, and is again expected to be part of the pace. Westwood had his final workout for the Big Cap on Sunday, zooming a half-mile in 46.60 seconds in company with stablemate Mc Vay.
“They were going pretty good,” trainer Peter Eurton said.
Eurton has had Westwood in his stable for two weeks, following the death of John Shirreffs on Feb. 12. Westwood and Mc Vay were part of a group of horses owned by CRK Stables transferred from Shirreffs to Eurton days later.
Shirreffs won his last race in the San Pasqual with Westwood.
“If he were to win,” Eurton said of Westwood, “emotions might get a little funny in the winner’s circle. John did an amazing job.”
Westwood is part of a projected field of seven in the Big Cap, the track’s leading race for older horses.
The group is led by Skippylongstocking, winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24, his 13th win in 36 career starts. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Skippylongstocking has been assigned topweight of 125 pounds. Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride.
The other expected runners, in order of weights, are Westwood and Just a Touch, at 121; Getaway Car, at 120; British Isles and Midnight Mammoth, at 119; and Vodka Vodka, at 116.
Kent Desormeaux is booked to ride Vodka Vodka and said in a text message on Sunday that he expects to tack 120 pounds.
Vodka Vodka, winner of the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for statebreds at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 17, will start in a Grade 1 for the first time on Saturday.
Vodka Vodka worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds on Sunday.
“I’m ecstatic about his morning efforts,” Desormeaux wrote.
Getaway Car was second by 2 3/4 lengths in the San Pasqual Stakes after stalking the place. Trained by Bob Baffert, Getaway Car led throughout the Sunland Park Derby at 1 1/16 miles in February 2025.
The Big Cap will be the second start of the year for Just a Touch, trained in Florida by Brad Cox. Just a Touch was second by a neck at 9-10 in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Jan. 17. Just a Touch was last of 20 in the 2024 Kentucky Derby.
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