Columnist Ralph Siraco: Exploit’s win tops big weekend

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Feb. 8, 1999 | 11:19 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears on Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday on the scoreboard page. Write to him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View, Las Vegas, NV 89107.

Stars of the past shared the weekend with potential stars of the future as both the men and beasts of the Sport of Kings returned to glory and reached milestones.

It was a weekend to remember as the sport bridged the gap of generations with an offering of the best of both young and ... well, not so young.

An Event of the Year performance at Anita, a victory to Exploit in the Kentucky Derby futures, a "manifique" performance for Manistique, Free House the best IN the house, a celebration of Sweetcakesandshakes for Eddie D.'s winning milestone and an Arizona Ant-Man return.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, the Kentucky Derby future book favorite made his 1999 debut in the San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs.

The undefeated Exploit presented such an imposing figure that only two other classmates showed up for his sophomore coming-out party. Trained by Santa Anita's leading conditioner Bob Baffert and owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, the son of Storm Cat came into the Grade II event training up a storm.

Exploit hadn't started since winding up his perfect freshman campaign with a victory in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club on November 28 that followed a win on Breeders' Cup Day at Churchill Downs in the Grade III Iroquois, an allowance score at Oak Tree on October 2 and his debut maiden-breaker at Del Mar August 23.

His exclusive partner, Chris McCarron, let Exploit roll from his rail post and quickly engaged Team Lukas' Yes It's True for the early lead. Aristotle, who completed the trio, settled into a stalking position with jockey Alex Solis waiting to take his best shot from off the pace. As the field turned into the stretch, Yes It's True was gone and Aristotle drew alongside Exploit. McCarron asked Exploit for another gear and got it as they repelled Aristotle's challenge to stay undefeated in five lifetime starts.

Baffert and the Lewis' hope Exploit can follow in the footsteps of his more famous stablemate Silver Charm, who won this same race in 1997 on the way to victory in that year's Kentucky Derby -- with one exception. McCarron, who rode Silver Charm in his San Vicente win, later defected for another on the Derby trail, but it would take an act of Congress to get McCarron to make the same mistake twice.

Later on the same card, a Derby prospect from last year returned to his promising form with a resounding victory in the Grade II Strub Stakes. Event of the Year, who was undefeated until a final Derby drill ended his dream for roses last year, was looking for his first victory as a four-year-old.

The strapping son of 1977 Horse of the Year Seattle Slew had reeled off four impressive wins before cracking his knee in preparation for last year's Derby. He returned to the races in the December 26 Malibu Stakes and finished third in that seven-furlong event. After suffering the first defeat of his career, he returned to finish second in the San Fernando. The Strub was the make-or-break race for Event of the Year and again he would receive the backing of the public. He would either be the first horse to lose as the favorite in all three races of the series or redeem himself in the finale.

It was redemption on Saturday. Event of the Year rolled from just off the pace and scored a solid win over Dr Fong to serve ample warning that he is back.

"I'mmm baaaack" was also the theme for Sunday.

At Santa Anita, Manistique continued her consecutive win streak with a measured victory in the Grade II La Canada Stakes. The daughter of 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Unbridled scored her third win since returning to the races early December. She stretched her record to six wins in seven lifetime starts.

Later on the card came the return of Free House. The 1997 Santa Anita Derby winner had finished worse than second at Santa Anita only once in seven starts and added the Grade II San Antonio Handicap as victory No. 4 at the Great Race Place. Attending the early pace with last year's Santa Anita Handicap winner Malek through moderate fractions, Free House outraced that rival and two other non-threatening entrants to the finish. Jockey Chris McCarron was again partnered with the "other" popular California gray from the class of '94.

Earlier on the card, in the third race of the day, jockey Eddie Delahoussaye became only the 14th rider in the history of the sport to win 6,000 races or more. That milestone was reached with a filly named Sweetcakesanshakes and came in an un-Delahoussaye type style: going gate-to-wire in the lead.

Also on Sunday, in the Valley of the Sun, jockey Chris Antley returned to the winners circle after the 10th race at Turf Paradise. Skyland Classic was the vehicle for his first win since returning to the saddle. He began his comeback last Wednesday at Santa Anita and, after being disqualified aboard his second ride, may find a suspension waiting upon his return to Southern California. The 32-year-old Antley had not ridden professionally since the Oak Tree meeting of 1997.

* COAST CONTEST: The next installment of the $15,000 Coast Resorts free handicapping contests for race players is Wednesday at the Barbary Coast race book. The $1,000 prize covers the last five races on the Santa Anita card for that day. All you have to do to enter is show up, get the free entry and pick the highest combined total of the pari-mutuel winners to collect the grand.