Fast Buck (center) scoring the Daytona. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Sunday’s $100,000 California Flag Handicap
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—Graded stakes winner Fast Buck and multiple stakes winner Johnny Podres, both exiting the GII California Crown Eddie D Sept. 28 at Santa Anita, lead a field of nine entered in Sunday’s $100,000 California Flag Handicap going about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course. The California Flag is part of the lucrative Golden State series for California-bred or California-sired horses.
In the Eddie D, also contested at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course, Fast Buck set the pace under Diego Herrera before fading to fifth as a 24-1 longshot. Trained and co-owned by Cesar DeAlba, Fast Buck’s biggest career win came in last year’s GIII Daytona Stakes over Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf layout. The 6-year-old gelding by Gallant Son is 13: 5-0-1 with $300,292 in earnings for DeAlba and co-owner Zephyr Racing.
Fast Buck will carry 124 pounds with Herrera up.
Johnny Podres is the 125-pound highweight for trainer Librado Barocio. Sent off the 5-1 third choice in the Eddie D, Johnny Podres found himself in last after a half mile before rallying mildly to finish sixth. Previously, Johnny Podres was beaten only three-quarters of a length when second in the GIII Green Flash sprinting five furlongs on turf Aug. 31 at Del Mar.
Johnny Podres is owned by David A. Bernsen and Rockingham Ranch. In last year’s California Flag, he finished second behind winner Kings River Knight. Earlier this year at Santa Anita, the 7-year-old gelding by Grazen won both the Sensational Star Stakes in March and Siren Lure in April, both sprinting on the hillside turf. Johnny Podres is 41: 9-10-6 with $539,650 in earnings.
Umberto Rispoli, who rode Johnny Podres in the Eddie D, retains the mount.
None Above the Law, trained by Jorge Periban, is back in with statebreds after an ambitious try in the GI Pacific Classic going 1 ¼ miles on dirt Aug. 31 at Del Mar. Sent off at 55-1 that day, None Above the Law was never a factor and finished sixth.
In last year’s California Flag, when trained by Peter Miller, None Above the Law finished third behind Kings River Knight and Johnny Podres. The 6-year-old gelding by Karakonite is owned by Hector Castrellon and has a record of 36: 7-3-4 with $652,302 in earnings.
None Above the Law will carry 122 pounds under Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who rides the gelding for the first time.
First post time Sunday is 1 p.m. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.
