If you are trying to attract new fans to horse racing, you couldn’t script a better ending than Saturday’s $1 million California Crown at Santa Anita.
Three horses hit the finish line within inches of each other, with Subsanador coming out a short head in front of National Treasure, who finished a nose in front of Newgate.
Subsanador, trained by Richard Mandella, is an accomplished 5-year-old who was making only his fifth start in the U.S. spending most of his career in Argentina. Saturday was his ninth win in 17 starts.
National Treasure, winner of last year’s Preakness, led most of the 1 1/8-mile race and led by a length entering the top of the stretch. But Subsanador kept inching closer as the finish line approached. He took the lead with just a few jumps left in the race. He paid $14.20 to win.
Read more: Santa Anita’s California Crown event looks to make an impact
“We’ve never been in a tight situation like that,” Mandella said. “[In his last race] at Monmouth, he never had a straw in his path. Everything went well. This was tight and he was cooped up a little bit and I didn’t know how he would react. I was very proud that he kept trying.”
The race was a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Asked if he would go in the Classic or shorten him up and run in the Dirt Mile, Mandella said the Classic. Why? Mandella rubbed his fingers together in deference to the $7 million purse.
Trainer Bob Baffert had three of the six horses in the race, including the second- and third-place finishers.
“We just got beat,” Baffert said. “Muth [the favorite who finished last] didn’t bring his A game. He just didn’t fire today. The other two horses ran their hearts out. We just got beat.”
“I knew my horse could handle the pocket,” jockey Mike Smith said. “I knew National Treasure would be the speed and Muth was outside, so I knew to lay back. Once we got by Newgate, he thought the race was over and I had to gather myself and get him going again. … I’ve got to give Richard Mandella all the credit. He’s got this horse so confident, he thinks he owns the place.”
It was the second big win of the day for Smith, who also won the $750,000 Eddie D Stakes, named after Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye. First Peace ($5.80 to win) spent most of the 6 ½-furlong downhill turf race near the back of the pack. But, Smith found a hole along the rail and sprinted off to a 1 ½ length win for trainer Mark Glatt.
Air Force Red was second and King of Gosford finished third.
Earlier in the card, Cabo Spirit surprised everyone with a gate to wire win in the $750,000 John Henry Turf Championship. At 24-1, Cabo Spirit was never challenged, winning by a length in the 1 ¼-mile race. His last win came on Oct. 29, 2022, in the Twilight Derby at Santa Anita. He paid $51.20 to win.
Read more: Santa Anita is using music acts, including Shaboozey, in the hopes of attracting new fans
“He ran huge,” said trainer George Papaprodromou. “He went out there and [jockey] Abel [Cedillo] did a great job and put to sleep kind of and kept him going. He opened up in the end and just kept him going. … Starting a met like this, what can I say? It’s unbelievable.”
There Goes Harvard was second and Master Piece was third.
The announced attendance was 21,812 with an on-track handle of $1.345 million. It comes to a very low average of $61 bet per person.
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
