Waranch Finally Stakes His Claim

A stakes win--any kind of stakes win--was long overdue for owner Ron Waranch.

After 19 years in the thoroughbred business through hundreds of horses and several different trainers, Waranch ended his drought in a big way Saturday at Santa Anita.

Northern Afleet, which he owns with Greg Anderson, his longtime partner in the construction business, pulled a $22 surprise in the $294,400 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes.

Winless in his two previous attempts in distance races, the Afleet colt rallied from off the pace under Chris McCarron to beat Ambivalent, a 12-1 outsider, by three-quarters of a length in 1:48 2/5 for 1 1/8 miles.

Trained by Dave Hofmans, Northern Afleet had finished third, beaten by only a length in the opening-day Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26.

However, that event, the first leg of the three-race Strub Series, was seven furlongs; many thought the Kentucky-bred was merely a sprinter.

He proved otherwise Saturday in the Grade II, and the fact he negotiated the extra quarter of a mile wasn’t a surprise to Hofmans.

“I thought this was a completely different horse than he was last year,” said Hofmans, who was preceded as Northern Afleet’s trainer by Warren Stute and Vladimir Cerin.

“He’s matured, settled down, relaxed and learned how to rate. I didn’t think he’d have any problem with the distance at all. I thought he would be laying a little bit closer [to the pace], but they were running along up front, so I was very comfortable the whole time.”

In giving McCarron his fourth San Fernando victory in five years, Northern Afleet also left Waranch a very happy and emotional man.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am today,” he said. “It’s like having a baby. David’s done a wonderful job with this horse. He knows what to do and I just follow him around like a puppy dog.”

Ambivalent, who seldom gets respect at the mutuel windows, but who has now banked almost $310,000 in 22 career starts, finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Ready To Order, the longest shot in the field of nine at nearly 34-1, to finish second.

*

Making his first start since he beat Cigar and assorted others in the $4-million Breeders’ Cup Classic about 2 1/2 months ago, Alphabet Soup is the 9-5 favorite against six opponents in today’s $200,000 San Pasqual Handicap.

McCarron will be aboard the 122-pound highweight and defending San Pasqual champion. Owner Georgia Ridder’s roan has won three of his seven starts on the Santa Anita main track.

Completing the field for the 1 1/16 mile, which is the first prep for the Santa Anita Handicap on March 2, are Kingdom Found, Marlin, Paying Dues, Savinio, Dramatic Gold and Eltish.

Horse Racing Notes

Although Victory Speech and Dr. Caton were nowhere in the San Fernando, trainer Wayne Lukas did win a stakes Saturday. Sharp Cat, the prohibitive 3-10 favorite, won the $104,300 Santa Ysabel Stakes by 14 lengths in a stakes record 1:41 1/5 for the 1 1/16 miles. Corey Nakatani rode the 3-year-old Storm Cat filly, who now has five victories in eight career starts. . . . There is a Pick Six carryover for today of $138,917. . . . Jockey Shane Laviolette, a nephew of Eddie Delahoussaye, collected his first victory at Santa Anita when longshot Fair Mims won the ninth. . . . Delahoussaye was shaken up when dumped by Sierratime at the start of the day’s second race and took himself off his remaining four mounts. He is expected to be back today.